♪ ANTHON WHY COVERED BRIDGES?
SOME SAY THEY REASSURED HORSES NORMA’S -- NERVOUS ABOUT CROSSING OPEN WATER.
OTHERS SAY IT IS MORE CUT AND TRY.
>> BEFORE THEY WERE COVERED, YOU WOULD BE LUCKY IF THEY LASTED 15 YEARS.
SO YOU ARE PROTECTING THE MAIN SUPPORT OF THE BRIDGE SO IT WILL LAST MUCH LONGER.
ANTHONY: WE HAVE MADE OUR WAY TO CONWAY, MASSACHUSETTS, HOME OF THE OLDEST COVERED BRIDGE IN THE STATE, THE BROOKVILLE BRIDGE.
IT WAS RESTORED IN 2005 AND OPEN TO TRAFFIC IN 2013.
ANTHONY: THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF COVERED BRIDGES.
>> WE TEND TO LOSE ONE OR TWO A YEAR BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CANADA.
ANTHONY: HE SAID THE VERY FIRST COVERED BRIDGES WERE BUILT BY TIMOTHY PALMER OF NEWBURYPORT.
HE HAD TO GO TO PENNSYLVANIA TO FIND FOLKS WILLING TO INVEST IN HIS IDEA.
THE OLDEST COVERED BRIDGES ARE NOT IN NEW ENGLAND.
>> SORRY.
[LAUGHTER] BUT IT WAS A MASSACHUSETTS GUY WHO STARTED IT.
♪ ANTHONY: DRIVING THROUGH CONWAY, WE PULL UP START -- SHORT AT A STARTLING SIGHT, A GRANDER THAT WOULD NOT BE OUT OF PLACE ON THE WASHINGTON MALL.
>> IT IS COMING UP ON 120 YEARS OLD SOON.
ANTHONY: IT TURNS OUT TINY CONWAY IS THE HOMETOWN OF MARSHALL FIELD, FOUNDER OF THE FAMOUS LUXURY DEPARTMENT STORE IN CHICAGO.
THIS LOCAL TELLS US HOW FIELD BROKE -- BUILT THE LIBRARY TO HONOR HIS PARENTS.
>> FROM THE OUTSIDE IT IS BEAUTIFUL BUT THE INSIDE IS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING.
ANTHONY: SOME FOLKS LIKE AUTHENTIC BRIDGES SO MUCH THEY BUILT THEIR OWN.
>> NOTHING BETTER THAN DRIVING ACROSS A COVERED BRIDGE.
WE GET TO DO IT EVERY DAY.
ANTHONY: WE HAVE MADE THE SHORT DRIVE FROM CONWAY ASHFIELD TO CHECK OUT HIS CREATION, BUILT USING TRADITIONAL METHODS.
>> OLD CHISELS ALL PUT TOGETHER WITH WOODEN PEGS AND EVEN SO FAR AS TO MOVE IT INTO PLACE WITH A PAIR OF HOLES AND A ROPE SET UP.
ANTHONY: THE BRIDGE, WHICH SPANS THE CREAMERY BROKE, MAY BE ON HIS PRIVATE DRIVEWAY BUT HE WELCOMES VISITORS AND USES THE BRIDGE AS AN OPEN-AIR DISPLAY CASE FOR SELLING RAN TAKE --
RANDOM ANTIQUE FARM EQUIPMENT.
>> PROCESS RIGHT, IT WILL LAST INDEFINITELY.
PROBABLY ALMOST AS GOOD AS WITH TWINKIES.
ANTHONY: WE COULD NOT BE IN ASHFIELD AND NOT MAKE A SIDE TRIP TO ONE OF THE STATE’S MORE UNUSUAL ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS, THE THREE SISTERS SANCTUARY.
IN THE NEXT TOWN OVER.
>> IT IS OPEN TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO WONDER 12 MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
THERE IS SOMETHING MAGICAL.
THERE IS SOMETHING.
ANTHONY: HIS LIFE WORK, THE SANCTUARY IS A MASSIVE DREAMLIKE INSTALLATION.
TENS OF ACRES FILLED WITH SPIRIT, WHIMSY AND MAGIC.
>> YOU EITHER GET IT OR YOU DON’T GET IT.
IF YOU DO, YOU UNDERSTAND IT IMMEDIATELY.
ANTHONY: MAKING OUR WAY BACK UP ONTO THE MOHAWK TRAIL, WE COVER THE DEERFIELD RIVER INTO THE TOWN OF CHARLEMONT.
CITIZEN UPRISINGS ARE A PART OF BOSTON -- MASSACHUSETTS HISTORY.
IN THE COVERED BRIDGE WORLD THERE IS THE STANDOFF IN CHARLEMONT.
>> THEY SAID IT IS OLD, THERE ARE CRACKS IN THE TIMBERS, IT CANNOT CARRY MODERN LOADS.
ANTHONY: THE STATE CLOSED CHARLEMONT’S HISTORIC BRIDGE IN THE MID-1990’S AND PUT UP A TEMPORARY BYPASS.
THE PLAN, TO REPLACE IT WITH CONCRETE AND STEEL.
BUT BILL AND HIS FELLOW CITIZENS ROSE UP IN PROTEST.
>> THAT STARTED WHAT ENDED UP TO BE A 14 YEAR FIGHT OVER REHABILITATING IT VERSUS TEARING IT DOWN.
ANTHONY: THE GOOD GUYS WON.
THE NEW COVERED BRIDGE OPENED IN 2009.
>> THEY ENDED UP DOING IT BECAUSE WE GOT THOUSANDS OF SIGNATURES AND PETITIONS.
ANTHONY: AN INVESTMENT IN THEIR FUTURE AND A NOD TO ITS PAST.
>> THE LESS COVERED BRIDGE IN TOWN AND THAT WAS THE CAUSE OF PEOPLE SAYING WE DON’T WANT TO LOSE IT.
WE WANT TO KEEP THE BRIDGE.
KEEP THE CONNECTION TO HISTORY.
SHAYNA: BEFORE ANYONE SENDS US A COLLECTIVE EMAIL OR TWEET, WE HAVE IT ON GOOD AUTHORITY IT IS PRONOUNCED CHARLEMONT.
ANTHONY: ALTHOUGH IT LOOKS AT A FRENCH NAME, THE TOWN WAS NAMED AFTER A BRITISH SOLDIER NAMED CHARLES MOUNTJOY.
THAT IS WHY IT IS A CHA NOT SHA.
SHAY