History, art and culture.
What do these three concepts have in common with covered bridges? The whole essence of covered bridges lies in history, art and culture. On Saturday, June 14, the world's first covered bridge museum opened in the Bennington Center for the Natural and Cultural Arts. The Covered Bridge Museum opened its doors for the first time to about 45 covered bridge enthusiasts.
Grand opening museum events included a visit by Vermont Governor James Douglas, the documentary ---italics --Covered Bridges of Vermont---- directed by Emiliano De Laurentiis, poetry read by author Ed Barna, and music by the Flying Garbanzos.
The idea for a covered bridge museum came from 94 year-old John Dostal who spent time with Bennington Center for the Natural and Cultural Arts owner Bruce Laumeister while he worked planting lilacs around the Center. He thought the lilacs might attract more tourists. After Dostal learned of a bill passed by Vermont Senator Jeffords to grant $10 million to restore covered bridges nationwide, he thought that if people would travel to see lilacs they would certainly travel to learn about covered bridges. Especially with three covered bridges located in Bennington and five covered bridges total in Bennington County. In March of 1999, Dostal went to the office of the secretary of state and registered the name 'Covered Bridge Museum' in hopes of someday starting a covered bridge museum. Then Dostal took the idea to Laumeister. Laumeister thought it was a great proposal and offered to use a wing of the center for the arts to house the project.
The Covered Bridge Museum is set up to explain the historical and cultural importance of covered bridges in America. Covered Bridge Museum curator Robert Campanile deliberately arranged the museum to educate people on the importance of covered bridges. They were not only a great technological advance of the time -- the first covered bridge was built in 1804 in Pennsylvania -- but also held importance to society as they served as places people met and socialized.
The museum contains many photographs by famed covered bridge photographer Richard Allen Sanders courtesy of the National Society for Covered Bridges. These images are used as the basis to showcase the romance of the covered bridge.
Other highlights in the museum are a map with every remaining covered bridge in Vermont highlighted, directions to the covered bridges, display models of trains and covered bridges, covered bridge art work by American artist Eric Sloane, pieces dedicated to the natural wildlife that made covered bridges their homes, virtual tours of all the remaining covered bridges in Vermont and the answers to any question about covered bridges a person might have. An obvious question that is answered: "Why cover the bridge?"
Walter and Margaret Nortavage, a retired couple from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania have seen all 221 covered bridges in Pennsylvania and 80 covered bridges in Vermont. They came back to Vermont to finish their covered bridge tour and attend the opening of the Covered Bridge Museum. "Mainly we are interested in the history and nostalgia of the covered bridges," said Walter Nortavage. "We have traveled all over Pennsylvania and now we are going to tour all the covered bridges in Vermont and New Hampshire."
The Bennington Center for the Natural and Cultural Arts first opened in 1994 and aside from housing the Covered Bridge Museum is also the home of the Old Castle Theatre Company, Laumeister Galleries and the Native American Arts collection. This year the season has been extended and the Center for the Arts will remain open until December 24.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Berkshire Food Project Closed for Power Issues
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Berkshire Food Project is closed Monday because of a power outage early in the morning.
"We are unable to get proper electricity and heat to the building," according to Executive Director Matthew Alcombright. "We hope that this can be resolved and be open tomorrow."
The project does have some sandwiches and frozen meals that will be distributed at the entry.
The city has lifted a boil water order — with several exceptions — that was issued late Monday morning following several water line breaks over the weekend. click for more
The bridge had been closed to all vehicle traffic since March 2023 after being deemed structurally deficient by the state Department of Transportation. click for more
