 Covered Bridges of Madison County
Winterset, Iowa
This attraction is part of our Bridges of Madison County tours. It’s perfect for fans of the book and/or the movie by the same name. Winterset is a quiet, charming destination., and the covered bridges are enchanting pieces of history.
Originally there were 19 covered bridges in the area. The County Board of Supervisors ordered the bridges covered to protect the bridge flooring timbers. Today travelers can visit six of the remaining bridges. Inside each of the bridges, those who visit will see engravings of past visitors claiming, “I was here”. Many are dated and quite aged. Some engravings include where the traveler originated, displaying how far people travel to visit the covered bridges of Madison County.
- Roseman Covered Bridge has long been considered a haunted bridge by the locals as there was an escaped prisoner that rose straight up through the roof of the bridge, never to be found again. Roseman is the bridge Robert Kincaid (Clint Eastwood) is looking for when he stops at Francesa Johnson’s (Meryl Streep) house asking for directions.
- Cutler-Donahoe Bridge was originally over the North River but was moved to Winterset City Park. The bridge was built in 1870 and is as solid as ever since it was renovated in 1997.
- Imes Covered Bridge is the oldest bridge of all, having been built in 1870. It was also moved from its original location of Middle River to its current location over Clinton Creek.
- Hogback Covered Bridge was built in 1884 and is a beauty. The sides of the bridge are red, and it measures 97 feet in length. The Hogback is actually still located in its original location north of Winterset. Hogback is the name of the limestone ridge in the area, and the bridge was named after the rock.
- Holliwell Covered Bridge is one of the oldest, having been built in 1880. It is also the longest of the remaining six as it measures 122 feet. The Holliwell is still in its original location over the Middle River.
- Cedar Covered Bridge was built in 1883 and is 76 feet long. This was the last of the original 19 bridges to be open to motorized vehicles. The bridge is the one pictured on the cover of the novel The Bridges of Madison County. In the movie, Francesca (Meryl Streep) meets Robert Kincaid here to help him take photographs of the bridge. The Cedar was burned in 2002 by arson, and a replica was built and dedicated in 2004.
Other Popular Iowa Attractions: African-American Museum | Amana Colonies | Anamosa State Penitentiary Tour | Clark's Tower | Covered Bridges of Madison County | John Wayne Birthplace | Northside Café | Theatre Cedar Rapids | Winterset Art Center
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