Glimmerglass Park, Hyde Hall Site of Bicentennial Bridge Event
By MARIA GRISWOLD
SPRINGFIELD
On Saturday, October 11, America’s oldest surviving covered bridge celebrated its 200th birthday. The Hyde Hall Covered Bridge was built in 1825 to provide access to George Clarke’s estate. According to officials, many notable figures have crossed the bridge, including Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, Samuel F.B. Morse, and Juliette Gordon Low. Most bridges built around this time have been removed or replaced, but the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge has exceptional features, including the Burr Arch Truss design, which distributes weight evenly. This innovative feature is the reason for the bridge’s long lifespan.
Saturday’s bicentennial celebration for the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge took place at Glimmerglass State Park, beginning at 10 a.m. and lasting until 4 p.m. Admission to the park was free for visitors that day.
The event began with music by Bog Hollow Band at the pavilion near the Lakeview Room. In the parking area, food trucks, face painting and a classic antique car show took place throughout the celebration. In the Woodshed, there was a continuously running informational presentation about New York covered bridges. Clydesdale wagon rides were traversing the park from the parking area to the covered bridge.
