Some people refer to our covered beauties as "kissing" bridges. According to popular folklore, because the bridges were covered, couples could sneak a kiss on them without being seen. Of course, that was back in the day when unmarried couples were not allowed to kiss in public.
There are many common beliefs over why bridges were once covered. One version is that the bridges were constructed to look like a barn so livestock walking over them felt at home. Another belief is that bridges were covered to keep snow off them. A rather sound explanation is that the roofs help protect the trusses upon which the bridges were built. Architects and engineers agree that the roofs help make the covered bridges more structurally sound.
Most of New Hampshire's covered bridges have been reconstructed over the years. Of the existing 55 authentic covered bridges in New Hampshire, Sawyer's Crossing in the oldest site. Although the current bridge at Sawyer's Crossing was constructed in 1859, it replaced one built in 1771. Several articles on the Internet claim that the first covered bridge in the U.S. was built in 1804. The original Sawyer's Crossing Bridge was built 33 years before that.