Covered Bridges (Die Gedeckde Bricke)
Mer sin ganz glicklich as es gedeckde Bricke doh in Pennsilfaani gebt! Ich gleich sie sehne weil sie gmaahne mich an die gude alde Daage wann Lewe net so bissi mit Teknologi waar. Die menscht vun de gedeckde Bricke waare in Amerikaa zwischich de Yaahre1825 un 1875 gebaut. Yaahre zerick in Pennsilfaani waare meh as ee dausend fimf hunnert gedeckde Bricke! Awwer nau sin sie yuscht baut zwee hunnert weil’s gebt viel meh Traffik mit meh Machiene, Druks, un annere Fuhrwese. Es iss drauerich as darrich de Yaahre waare deel sogaar mit Feier aagschteckt!
(We are very fortunate that there are covered bridges around in Pennsylvania! I like to see them because they remind me about the good old days when life was not so busy with technology. Most of the covered bridges in America were built between the years 1825 and 1875. Years ago in Pennsylvania there were over 1,500 covered bridges! But now there are just about 200 because there is much more traffic with cars, trucks and other vehicles. It is sad that through the years some were even destroyed by arson!)
Viel Leit froge, “Fer was waare die Bricke mit me Dach gedeckt?” Die menscht gwehnlich Antwatt iss fer Schirm fer es Holtz as fer die Bricke baue gyusst waar. Wann die Bricke gedeckt waare, kennde sie viel meh Yaahre schteh as die as net gedeckt waare — vielleicht so viel as ee hunnert Yaahr lenger!
(Many people ask, “Why were bridges covered with a roof?” The most common answer is for protection for the wood that was
used to build the bridges. When the bridges were covered, they could last many more years than those that were not covered — perhaps to 100 years longer!)
Eens vun de lengschde gedeckde Bricke in Histori waar in1814 in Lengeschder Kaundi, Pennsilfaani gebaut — es waar iwwer ee Meil lang! Es waar iwwer em Susquehanna Rewwer gebaut zwischich de Columbia un Wrightsville Schtedt. Dann in 1832 waar es vun Eis un hoch Wasser vernicht. Es waar nochemol in 1834 wie en gedeckdi Brick gebaut awwer vazich Fuss katzer. In 1863 darrich der Bruders Grieg waar es nunnergebrennt so as die Confederate Soldaate henn net iwwer der Rewwer kumme kenne. Es waar widder gebaut drei meh mol un nau heest es die Veterans Memorial Brick.
(One of the longest covered bridges in history was built in 1814 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania — it was over one mile long! It was built across the Susquehanna River between the cities of Columbia and Wrightsville.