Ashtabula County's Covered Bridges

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Travel

Ashtabula County has the most covered bridges in Ohio with 19. Here are some to visit this fall:

Olin

Without this 115-foot Town truss-style bridge, Olin’s Museum of Covered Bridges would not exist. Both the bridge and the museum are named after the museum owner’s late grandmother, Naomi Olin Bottorf, who was born and raised near the bridge that was built in 1873. “Growing up next to a covered bridge gave Grandma a huge love for covered bridges,” says museum owner Julie Grandbouche. Bottorf amassed an impressive collection of models and info that Grandbouche used to launch the museum in a renovated building just a tenth of a mile from Olin bridge. 1880 Dewey Road, Ashtabula

Benetka Road

One of the more isolated of the county’s covered bridges, Benetka makes for a peaceful scene with its 138-foot Town lattice bridge accented by a lower arch. “You go down a steep hill, and you feel almost completely alone,” says Grandbouche. “It really is beautiful.” Built around 1900, Benetka gets very few visitors, making the bridge perfect for those who want to enjoy the tranquility on their own. 4500 Benetka Road, Ashtabula

Smolen-Gulf

Named after John Smolen, the county engineer who started the covered bridge trend in Ashtabula County, it holds the title of the longest covered bridge in the United States at 613 feet. Located 93 feet above the Ashtabula River and built in 2008, the bridge delivers a stunning view of the river gulf that is only improved by the vibrant yellows and reds of autumn leaves framing the river below and can be enjoyed further on the Riverview pedestrian bridge that’s a replica of Smolen-Gulf and underneath it. “People socialize in it,” Granbouche says of the spot that’s the site of a Sept. 11 Big Bridge Dinner. 7001 State Road, Ashtabula

State Road

This 152-foot Town lattice pine and oak covered bridge was the first built in Smolen’s mission both to take folks over Conneaut Creek and to revive the practice of covered bridge building in 1983. It led to the repair and building of many of the county’s current standing bridges. “It was really the foothold of the county’s whole adventure,” Grandbouche says. 5899 State Road, Kingsville

Windsor Mills

One of the oldest bridges in Ashtabula County, Windsor Mills was built in 1867 out of wood and supported by stone from a local quarry and riverbed. The Town lattice bridge spans Phelps Creek, a tributary of the Grand River. For the longest time, this covered bridge was closed to traffic due to a dangerous state of disrepair, but through the county’s efforts, it has been given a fresh and safe renovation that retains the vintage style and shows its best features like never before. “The supports are gorgeous,” Grandbouche says. “I have to say it’s a favorite.” 7696 Warner Hollow Road, Windsor

Nearby:

Olin’s Museum of Covered Bridges

Your path to covered bridge enthusiasm starts at Olin’s Museum of Covered Bridges. Founded and run by Julie Grandbouche, a descendant of the Olin family the bridge on Dewey Road is named after, the museum showcases the collection of her beloved late grandmother, Naomi Olin Bottorf, to ensure Ashtabula County’s covered bridges, as well as those around the world, are appreciated.

Within the museum’s walls, find pictures and models of real covered bridges and the well-preserved tools used to build them that Bottorf gathered during her travels visiting covered bridges and covered bridge enthusiast groups. In addition, there are several themed knickknacks like a wooden clock with bridges for numbers.

Also learn about the museum’s advocacy. Alongside the efforts of Ashtabula County Engineers, the museum has been a notable part of maintaining the county’s interest in sheltered spans for years and helped get a face-lift on its namesake Olin bridge in the ’80s.

This fall is the perfect time to stop into the museum while in the area for the Covered Bridge Festival Oct. 9 and 10 in nearby Jefferson.

Open June 1-Oct. 31, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, 1918 Dewey Road, Ashtabula, facebook.com/www.coveredbridgemuseum.org