My first stop was the Utica Mills Covered Bridge over Fishing Creek.
It was originally at the current location of the Devilbiss Bridge and went across the Monocacy River. It was badly damaged during the flood of 1889; the surviving half was disassembled and moved by wagon to Utica, where it was reassembled over Fishing Creek.
Next to this luxurious home, on one side and with farm land on the other.
This is the inside:
View from the inside:
To the left is the house; on the right was miniature barn and two cows.
Looking in the other direction is real farm land.
On the way to the next stop, I found these:
The second bridge, located at Loy’s Station is a one-lane, twin span of multiple king post wood truss design. Tinky Winky is waving on the left:
It crosses the Owens Creek on Old Frederick Road.
Inside construction:
View in each direction:
It’s 90-foot length rests on two stone abulments and is covered with red beveled-German clapboarding.
The third bridge is on Ruddy Road just north of Thurmont.
It is the smallest covered
bridge in Maryland. This one lane, 40-foot single span, rests on five steel
stringers with two stone abutments rising on either bank of Owens Creek.
View from inside:
The official Frederick County Parks and Recreation Division sign says, “An undocumented local source dates the bridge at least to 1856.”
The town of Thurmont had some lovely old houses:
