After moving to Roanoke, I decided to find the covered bridges of southwest Virginia. I discovered four nearby bridges and set out on a mission to find them. All the while, I was thinking of the movie The Bridges of Madison County.

The first one was easy to find—135 miles north of Roanoke on I-81 to Mount Jackson, Virginia. Once I got there, I had to search for a tiny road, more like a driveway, off of Route 11 to find the bridge. But there it was—the majestic Meems Bottom Covered Bridge. At 204 feet long, it’s the longest covered bridge in Virginia, built in 1892 over the North Fork of the Shenandoah River. I took plenty of pictures to preserve this romantic setting.

The next day, I traveled 52 miles south to Woolwine, Virginia, toward the second bridge on my list. This one was harder to find. Once off the main highway, I took State Route 8 and a country road to get there. The gray, weather-worn Bob White Bridge was 80 feet long, built over the Smith River in 1921. Nestled in the woods, the setting was so peaceful. I stayed quite a while, taking pictures and soaking up the beauty and history standing before me.

I also found the third bridge on my list in Woolwine. The 48-foot Jack’s Creek Covered Bridge was built over the Smith River in 1914. When I was there, it had been newly painted and was not quite as captivating as the graying Bob White, but definitely a piece of Virginia history to see.

Then the real adventure began. I hated to backtrack to I-81. According to my map, I could drive north through the forest and find a state highway to take me home. Well…three hours later, through twists and turns and pine-covered, one-lane muddy roads with daylight fading fast, I finally made it to a highway. I must admit, I was scared. I was by myself, and no one knew I’d taken this little jaunt, but here I am writing about it. I learned my lesson—don’t get off the marked roads in Virginia unless you know where you’re going. I decided finding the fourth bridge would wait until I had someone to travel with me.

About three months after my bridge-hunting trip, Virginia was hit with torrential rains and floods. I heard on the news that the Bob White Covered Bridge was totally washed away in the river that day. I couldn’t believe it. That warm, inviting bridge was no longer there for me to sit beside and envision a horse-drawn carriage crossing the river or a family in their first automobile driving through the covered bridge to the dirt road beyond to take them home.

The Old Covered Bridge
by Dee Bowlin

Wooden trusses, shielded from weather,
have kept this bridge strong through the years.
As shelter for those who cross
the swift river below,
it's gray planks whisper,
"Slowly, my friend,
Make a wish.
Steal one
kiss."