THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY

ON TUESDAY, MAY 15TH. WE DROVE OVER TO WINTERSET, IOWA TO SEE THE SIX REMAINING COVERED BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, IOWA. WE STOPPED AT THE CHAMBER AND PICKED UP A MAP AND GOT DIRECTIONS TO THE BRIDGES. THE FIRST BRIDGE WE VISITED WAS RIGHT IN THE TOWN OF WINTERSET IN THE LOCAL PARK, THE CUTLER-DONAHOE BRIDGE. IT WAS MOVED TO THE PARK ON WINTERSET'S 100TH BIRTDAY 1970, FOR IT'S PROTECTION. MANY OF THE COVERED BRIDGES WERE GIVEN NAMES BECAUSE A FARM-OWNER LIVED CLOSE BY, TWO FAMILIES CLAIMED 'NAMING RIGHTS', THUS THE HYPHENATED NAME.  IT'S A BEAUTIFUL BRIDGE, BUT WE WERE APPALLED BY THE GRAFFITTI ON THE INSIDE OF ALL THE BRIDGES.

WE DID NOT REALIZE THIS IS WHERE JOHN WAYNE WAS BORN, WE DROVE BY HIS HOME ON OUR WAY TO OUR NEXT BRIDGE.

THE NEXT BRIDGE WE VISITED WAS THE  HOLLIWELL BRIDGE, THE LONGEST BRIDGE AT 110 FEET.  HOLLIWELL WAS ONE OF THE BRIDGES FEATURED IN THE MOVIE " BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY. "

THEN ON TO THE SMALL TOWN OF ST. CHARLES WHERE THE IMES BRIDGE IS NESTLED IN A SMALL PARK AT THE EDGE OF TOWN.

THEN ON TO THE CEDAR BRIDGE, BURNED IN 2002, REBUILT AND REDEDICATED IN 2004. THIS IS THE ONLY COVERED  BRIDGE  THAT IS OPEN TO CAR TRAFFIC. THIS IS ALSO THE BRIDGE OPRAH WINFREY DID HER 1993 TV SHOW FROM.

WE HAD PLANNED ON VISITING HOGBACK BRIDGE NEXT, BUT WE MISSED THE TURN, SO IT WAS ON TO ROSEMAN BRIDGE, THE ONE MOST FEATURED IN THE MOVIE, "BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY". THIS IS THE BRIDGE WHERE FRANCESCA TACKED HER NOTE  TO ROBERT, TELLING HIM TO COME FOR SUPPER "ANYTIME THE WHITE MOTHS FLY. " YOU CAN SEE LITTLE HOLES WHERE SHE, AND OTHERS AFTER HER, PLACED THEIR LOVE NOTES.

THE LAST BRIDGE WE VISISTED WAS THE HOGBACK BRIDGE, WE RETRACED OUR STEPS AND SAW WHERE WE MISSED THE TURN.

THE BRIDGES ARE PRETTY CLOSE TOGETHER, BUT IT HAD BEEN A LONG DAY AND WE NEEDED TO GET HOME TO MAGGIE AND MARLEE, BUT WE ENJOYED SEEING THE SIX REMAINING BRIDGES.

THE NEXT DAY WAS MY DAY OFF AND DARRELL HAD TO WORK, I JUST HAD TO RENT THE MOVIE "BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY". IT WAS SO GOOD, I HAD SEEN IT YEARS AGO, BUT IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE ON THE SCREEN THE PLACES WE HAD VISITED.