Explore covered bridges in Ohio’s Ashtabula County

When you traverse a historic covered bridge, the barn-like entrance entices you; the dark interior envelopes you in calm; the wood under your car wheels creaks. You realize that a farmer built this structure from wood to ford a creek, stream, or river when horses did the heavy work.

Ohio has more than 100 covered bridges, an impressive chunk of the several hundred such structures that remain in the U.S. Nineteen of those are in Ashtabula County, the state’s “covered bridge capital,” in rural Northeastern Ohio. Some date to the mid-1800s. Others are newer, inspired by historic designs—including the country’s longest and shortest covered bridges.

City of Ashtabula

Wondering why this rural county has so many covered bridges?

During the late 20th century, a county engineer realized their tourism potential after viewing several similar bridges in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. John Smolen pushed to rehab the county’s historic bridges that were in various stages of disrepair and oversaw the construction of new ones. Writer Carl E. Feather calls Smolen “the patron saint of covered bridges” in The Covered Bridges of Ashtabula County, Ohio (The History Press, 2014).

The engineer’s crowning glory is the Smolen-Gulf Covered Bridge over the Ashtabula River, dedicated in 2008. At 613 feet, it’s the longest covered bridge in the U.S. Just below, in Indian Trails Park, the 150-foot pedestrian-only Riverview Covered Bridge leads to hiking trails and fishing spots. This bridge was dedicated in 2016, and I could still smell fresh wood while I walked through it, looking up at the beams.

Plymouth Township

The Olin Covered Bridge is a legacy of that family, built near their home in 1873. Like several other bridges in the county, the 115-foot-long expanse has a Town lattice truss, based on a design by Connecticut-born architect Ithiel Town (1784–1844), who also designed one  of Connecticut’s early state capitols.

Conneaut

In this small lakeside city, the 1868 Middle Road Covered Bridge is one of the county’s oldest. Below the 136-foot-long bridge, you might spot people fishing for steelhead in Conneaut Creek.

About 8 miles away and built in the same year, the 114-foot-long Root Road Covered Bridge has pleasingly worn whitewashing that makes it great for photos.

Under the 152-foot Town lattice truss of the 1983 State Road Covered Bridge, the first built by Smolen, I saw an Amish farmer watering his horse, his black buggy up on the roadway.

Jefferson

In Ashtabula County’s seat, the area’s prettiest covered bridge spans Mill Creek. The neo-Victorian Netcher Road Covered Bridge opened in 1999, painted red with cream trim and with copulas on each end.

About 3 miles away, the 1890 South Denmark Road Covered Bridge crosses the same creek. Its 81-foot length makes it one of the county’s shortest. It’s decorated with a colorful barn quilt panel. Only light traffic is allowed; park nearby and enjoy a quiet moment as you walk through.

Geneva

South of the small city of Geneva, which is close to adjacent lakeside resort village Geneva-on-the-Lake and more than 20 nearby wineries, is the county’s most famous bridge. The 228-foot-long Harpersfield Covered Bridge dates to 1868 and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Though it’s undergoing major construction in 2023, you can glimpse it from a tree-lined bank of the Grand River.

About 4.6 miles east, the 156-foot-long, arch-topped 1867 Mechanicsville Road Covered Bridge is the county’s longest single-lane covered bridge. Another record-holder, the shortest covered bridge in the U.S., is downtown. The 18-foot-long West Liberty Street Covered Bridge opened in 2011 and crosses Cowles Creek.

Windsor Mills

More covered bridges in Ohio

While Ashtabula County has the state’s highest concentration of bridges, it does not have the oldest bridges. Eaton, about 25 miles west of Dayton, is home to one of the longest surviving covered bridges in the U.S.

The Roberts Bridge, built in 1829, is one of a dwindling number of “double-barreled” covered bridges (2-lane bridges with individual frames for each lane) remaining in the country. Relocated in 1991, it is traffic-free but remains a source of community pride.

The 1831 Newton Falls Bridge in the village of the same name, about 24 miles west of Youngstown, is Ohio’s oldest covered bridge still in use. The 117-foot expanse across the Mahoning River is closed during a summer 2023 renovation.