Kentucky: a road trip through the state - Part 43 - Orlando / Florida Guide
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Covered Bridges continued :- Eastern Bridges
Greenup County which is in the north eastern part of Kentucky is home to two covered bridges. Travelling from Lexington you take the I-64 East for about two and a half hours. At the Grayson exit you turn left on to state road 1. You will find Oldtown Covered Bridge, which is a 192-foot span, across the Little Sandy River a few miles north of the Carter-Grayson county line. The bridge is only open to foot traffic and it is along the route to Greenbo Lake State Resort Park. There is also a lodge there and a nice lake in which fishing is allowed.
If you then drive to Tygarts Creek which is at the intersection of KY 7 and KY 1215 in northern Greenup County you will find the 155 foot span Bennett' s Mill Bridge. This bridge is constructed in the rare ' Wheeler truss' style and is the sole surviving example in America. It was thought to be built around the mid-1850s for customers at the nearby mill. The good news here is that it is one of the few that is open to both foot and car traffic.
Take a 40-minute drive from Lexington towards the state' s capital of Frankfort in Franklin County to find the Switzer Bridge which spans the North Fork of Elkhorn Creek. It was originally constructed in 1855 by George Hockensmith and then completely restored in 1906 by Louis Bower. The bridge is one of many that has now been taken over and looked after by the local community. However in spite of all these efforts in March 1997 huge floods swept the bridge off of its foundation. As luck would have it the bridge itself was salvageable and was restored with the help of state and federal agencies. It has a Howe truss structure and is 12 feet high and 120 feet long.
Travelling from Bourbon County to Blue Licks in the north you find the Colville Covered Bridge spanning Hinkson Creek. The bridge which was built around 1877 is still open to traffic. It is located on Colville Road off Route 1893 about four miles west of Millersburg. To get there you take US 68 north from Lexington. If you want an interesting stop on the way then call into Paris to see the Duncan Tavern a restored pioneer stopping place.
The next nearest bridge is the Johnson Creek Covered Bridge in Robertson County. All you need do to reach this bridge is continue north along US 68 and then turn left at KY 165 followed by turning right onto KY 1029. The 110-foot bridge, near Burika, has a rustic and weathered appearance. Just like the Colville Bridge, it was built around 1874. It is open for foot traffic and there is a nice viewing and picnic area so it makes a great place to plan a stop for lunch.
On your way to or from the Johnson Creek Bridge, you may want to stop at Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park which is very close by.
Covered Bridges continues in part 44.
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