Bridges of Madison County

Madison County is the Covered Bridge Capital of Iowa, with the largest group of covered bridges that exists in one area in the western half of the Mississippi Valley. Madison County originally boasted 19 covered bridges, but just six remain today, five of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The bridges were covered by order of the County Board of Supervisors to help preserve the large flooring timbers, which were more expensive to replace than the lumber used to cover the sides and roof. Usually, the bridges were named for the resident who lived closest.

You might recognize these bridges in the movie: Bridges of Madison County with Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood.