 © 1999 John Mahoney [EDITOR'S NOTE: Christopher Doncaster has lived near the covered bridge all of his life. His grandparents live nearby. He wrote this essay in 1998 when he was a fifth grader in the Irasburg, Vermont elementary school, won a state writing prize for it, and read it during the sentencing portion of the trial of the two men who burned the historic bridge as a Halloween prank. Governor Howard Dean read Christopher's essay while he was at Monday's ribbon-cutting ceremony and saw to it that he got a piece of the ribbon.]
CHRISTOPHER DONCASTER
The Orne Covered Bridge of Irasburg was burned down on Halloween night, 1997. The Orne Bridge was named after the Ornes who lived near it for several generations. It was the only covered bridge in Vermont that was supported by Paddleford trusses, still being used publicly, and at it's original site.
I used to do things there all of my life. I used to ride my bike there after school and think about what it was like to go across the bridge on a horse-drawn cart. I used to ride my bike there a lot. My cousin and. I used to have races with our bikes. I would win mostly, but he would win sometimes.
I used to ride the bus through it on my way to school. On the right side of the bridge it looked as if an old fashioned movie was playing.
My Grandpa told me about when the sign, "Two dollar fine if crossing faster than a walk." was stolen. That sign was referring to when they used a horse and buggy to get around. People used to carve their names or initials on the inside of the bridge. It was a strong bridge because it lasted through a lot of rough times. It lasted when 18-wheelers went through it. Big floods happened after a long rain and it lasted. It could stand up to all of the elements.
My brook, the Ware Brook, is a tributary to the Black River, the river that flows under the bridge. My Aunt Sara used to take me down there a lot to go flshing. My cousin Josh and I used to go down there and catch fish. I caught more and bigger fish than him and he used to get mad. All the. people in my family used to fish in the river below the bridge. One time my friend Nigel and I snuck down there and went swimming and fishing. Nigel cut his foot and I fell and banged my ankle on a rock and it hurt.
I used-to beg people to take me down to the bridge because it was nice and quiet. I'd walk along the side of my brook until I met the road and I would walk along the side of the road to the bridge. When I was under the bridge fishing and a car went by, sand would fall off the bridge and sprinkle into the water. I used to love going through the bridge. Whenever I was fishing and it started to rain I would stand under the bridge so I wouldn't get wet.
There was a lot of wildlife around the bridge. It gave shelter to animals. The bridge gave homes to birds, bats, mice and insects.
All of the people that came to our farm loved the bridge.
They all took pictures of the bridge. When they heard the bridge was burned down they were heart broken. My Aunt Sara, who is the director of the Warebrook Contemporary Music Festival, might do a fund-raiser to earn some money for the bridge, built in the early 1880s. The bridge had been repaired twice in the 40 years my Grammy and Grandpa have lived here.
My family called it the Wishing Bridge because they made a wish when they went through it.
I hope when they rebuild the bridge it is fireproof. I miss the bridge because I always used to go down there. When I heard it was burned down I was mad and sad at the same time. I hope that the new bridge doesn't get burned down. The bridge was special to me and my family, but it was also special to everyone who saw it. It was a piece of our Vermont heritage but now it is gone.
Original Story
Copyright © 1999 Christopher Doncaster/Log Cabin Chronicles/11.99 |