Utica Covered Bridge, Utica Maryland
The Utica Covered Bridge is one of only eight remaining covered bridges in the State of Maryland.
According to Richard Allen in Covered Bridges of the Middle Atlantic States, the building of covered bridges in Maryland was limited to the western and central counties, while the limestone counties of far Western Maryland erected stone bridges instead. Covered wooden bridges were present on many of the major highways, including U.S. 40 and the Jefferson and Buckeystown Pikes in Frederick County. Until the introduction of the steel truss bridge in the mid-nineteenth century, most Qf the crossings in the county were wood truss structures often covered for protection from the elements. At one time as many as five wooden bridges crossed the Monocacy River. In the summer of 1889, the Johnstown Flood destroyed most of these.
The Utica Bridge originally spanned the Monocacy in the current location of the Devilbiss Bridge, but was badly damaged during the 1889 flood. The surviving half of the bridge was disassembled and moved by wagon to Utica and reassembled over Fishing Creek.
Most of the clapboarding has been replaced according to the County Roads Department.
