The explanation for the covered bridges is mostly correct. Wood, however, was plentiful in the northeast at the time bridges were constructed there. The bridges were covered to protect them from the weather. Anyone who is interested in additional information about covered bridges should use URL: http://william-king.www.drexel. edu/top/bridge/CBF AQ.HTML. Keyword: COVERED BRIDGES works just as well. You may be interested to know that I was born in a house by a creek at the end of a covered bridge. This was in a town, not in the country where you would usually find them. When I was a kid, I thought it was there to help protect people from sudden rainstorms. They did that, but they weren't built for that purpose. Did you know that covered bridges were also known as "kissing bridges"? Bill Stetler Surnames: HOUSER/LEPLEY/MARKEL/SPECHT/STETLER