Covered Bridges of the Catskills: Sullivan County

December 07, 2018  •  Leave a Comment

Sullivan County, New York is home to five beautiful covered bridges, including the Beaverkill Covered Bridge, Livingston Manor Covered Bridge, Halls Mills Covered Bridge, Bendo Covered Bridge and the Chestnut Creek Covered Bridge. Included below is a photograph as well as a brief informational summary for each bridge. For more photographs of all five bridges visit the Covered Bridges page within the Gallery.

 

Given their proximity, regional visitors can easily visit all five bridges in a day tour (and leave time for other attractions along the way). For a mid-day picnic lunch, I would first recommend the Beaverkill Covered Bridge which, as part of a state campground, has a day use area in a wonderful setting; and would second recommend the Livingston Manor Covered Bridge which has a nice park adjacent to the bridge. For camping, the Beaverkill Campground, one of the oldest campgrounds in the state, offers a great experience next to the Covered Bridge along the Beaverkill River and has 52 tent and trailer sites. Alternatively, adjacent to the Bendo Covered Bridge is a private campground.

 

Livingston Manor Covered Bridge

The Livingston Manor Covered Bridge, formerly known as the Mott Flats Bridge and more recently as the Vantran Bridge, was originally built in 1860 by John Davidson.Livingston Manor Covered BridgeLivingston Manor, Sullivan County

The historic Livingston Manor Covered Bridge, formerly known as the Mott Flats Bridge and more recently as the Vantran Bridge, was originally built in 1860 by John Davidson, a Scottish immigrant, farmer, lumberman and famous Catskills covered bridge builder. The bridge was restored to its original beauty in 1984 by the Division of Public Works. The town lattice truss bridge is approximately 17 feet wide and spans 117 feet over the famous Willowemoc Creek. The single lane bridge is open to vehicular traffic and continues to this day as a key river crossing point for the local community.

The original name of the bridge, Mott Flats, came from the Mott family, who owned land around the bridge. John Mott would later grown in to an influential American figure as the founder of the YMCA, Nobel Peace Prize winner and philanthropist. His original homestead house is located directly adjacent to the bridge.

Also known as: Mott Flats Covered Bridge; Van Tran Flat Covered Bridge

Located: Livingston Manor, Town of Rockland

Year built: 1860

Truss: Town Lattice with laminated arch

Length: 117 feet

Builder: John Davidson

Spans: Willowemoc Creek

Bridge traffic: Vehicle

Listed on National Register: No

 

 

Halls Mills Covered Bridge

Halls Mills Covered Bridge, located near Claryville, New York, was built in 1912 by David Benton and John Knight.Halls Mills Covered BridgeClaryville, Sullivan County

Halls Mills Covered Bridge, located near Claryville, was built in 1912 by David Benton and John Knight. It is 130 feet long and crosses the Neversink River. The bridge is one lane, 18 feet wide and weighs 90 tons. Although the bridge once accommodated vehicular traffic, it has been limited to pedestrian traffic since 1962 when Route 19 was moved. It is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places unlike many of the other covered bridges in the Catskills.

Also known as: N/A

Located: Halls Mills, Town of Neversink

Year built: 1912

Truss: Town Lattice

Length: 130 feet

Builder: David Benton and James Knight

Spans: Neversink River

Bridge traffic: Pedestrian

Listed on National Register: No

 

 

Bendo Covered Bridge

The Bendo Covered Bridge crosses the Willowemoc Creek near the small hamlet of Debruce in Sullivan County.Bendo Covered BridgeDebruce, Sullivan County

The Bendo Covered Bridge crosses the Willowemoc Creek near the small hamlet of Debruce in Sullivan County. The bridge is a single lane, 48 feet long and supports limited local traffic. The bridge was originally built near Main Street in Livingston Manor by John Davidson in 1860 but was later cut in half and moved to its current location by Joseph Sherwood in 1913. The bridge was originally constructed using the town lattice truss design but is now effectively a stringer type bridge. The bridge is owned and maintained by Sullivan County. Despite its age the current Bendo Covered Bridge is not considered historical since it was significantly modified (i.e. cut in half), rebuilt and is not located near its original location. It is not eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

Also known as: Willowemoc Covered Bridge

Located: Debruce, Town of Rockland

Year built: 1860

Truss: Stringer, Town Lattice in appearance

Length: 48 feet

Builder: John Davidson

Spans: Willowemoc Creek

Bridge traffic: Vehicle

Listed on National Register: No

 

 

Beaverkill Covered Bridge

The Beaverkill Covered Bridge, also known as Conklin Bridge, is located in Livingston Manor, New York.Beaverkill Covered BridgeLivingston Manor, Catskills

The historic Beaverkill Covered Bridge, also known as Conklin Bridge, was originally built in 1865 by John Davidson, a Scottish immigrant, farmer, lumberman and famous Catskills covered bridge builder. The town lattice truss bridge, located north of Livingston Manor, is 14.5 feet wide and spans 98 feet over the famed Beaverkill River. It is open to vehicular traffic and continues to this day as a key river crossing point for local communities. The Covered Bridge Pool, a scenic and popular fly-fishing location, is located adjacent and underneath the bridge. The Beaverkill Covered Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Also known as: Conklin Bridge

Located: Beaverkill, Town of Rockland

Year built: 1865

Truss: Town Lattice

Length: 98 feet

Builder: John Davidson

Spans: Beaverkill River

Bridge traffic: Vehicle

Listed on National Register: Yes

 

 

Chestnut Creek Covered Bridge

The Chestnut Creek Covered Bridge, also known as the Grahamsville Covered Bridge, is located at Grahamsville in Sullivan County, New York.Chestnut Creek Covered BridgeGrahamsville, Sullivan County

On the west side of Grahamsville you can stop by the 40-foot Chestnut Creek Covered Bridge, also known as the Grahamsville Covered Bridge. It is a single span, steel stringer bridge that has the look of a town lattice truss. The bridge spans Chestnut Creek and is open to vehicular traffic. The replica bridge was erected for the 1976 Bicentennial as a dramatic entrance to the town fairgrounds, home to the Grahamsville Little World’s Fair. It was constructed by volunteers, and supervised by Robert Grey, using lumber cut from a stand of hemlock trees in the area. The bridge is owned by the local Neversink Agricultural Society.

The hamlet of Grahamsville, part of the Neversink Township (formed in 1798) and within Sullivan County (formed in 1809), was first settled in the late 18th century. Grahamsville was first known as Chestnut Valley, for its plentiful chestnut trees, and later as Unionville. Today, the hamlet takes its name from the leader, Lieutenant John Graham, of a Continental Army unit of eighteen Americans that was massacred nearby in 1778.

Also known as: Grahamsville Covered Bridge

Located: Grahamsville, Town of Neversink

Year built: 1976

Truss: Stringer, Town Lattice in appearance

Length: 40 feet

Builder: Constructed by volunteers, supervised by Robert Grey

Spans: Chestnut Creek

Bridge traffic: Vehicle, Pedestrian

Listed on National Register: No

 


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