We drove thru all of southern Wyoming and southern Nebraska without stopping to site-see, that was about 800 miles. Today I insisted we see something. This is a journey and I NEED something to blog about.
The Bridges of Madison County are in Iowa. Who knew that?? In the heart of Madison County is the small city of Winterset, where six of the remaining 19 covered bridges are near. Iowa novelist Robert James Waller romanticized these bridges in his best-selling novel and film staring Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood. Many of the movie scenes were shot in town, as well as the bridges.
The most famous bridge is The Roseman, built in 1883. It was the easiest for us to find. The others we needed to stop at the Winterset Historical Museum to ask directions and received a detailed map. We saw four in all: Cutler-Donahoe, Holliwell, and Imes Covered Bridges, all built between 1870-1883. They all are similiar in shape and are painted red. Usually the bridges were named for the residents who lived closest and each one has a sign posted above the opening with the date and name. Most of them are now closed to traffic, except for one. Covered bridges were built to help preserve the large flooring timbers which were more expensive to replace then the lumber covering the sides and roof of the bridge. The drive, trying to find these bridges, thru the back roads was very peaceful and beautiful farmland. Southern Iowa is much hillier then the northern part. Still, rolling hills of corn and hay! Miles and miles!
Also, Winterset is the birthplace of John Wayne.
By the end of today, we should be in Illinois.
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