The iconic Iowa covered bridges were made famous thanks to the novel and movie “The Bridges of Madison County.” In that story, a romance blossomed around meeting near these famous covered bridges in Iowa. When the novel was made into a silver-screen feature by director Clint Eastwood, this small Iowa county was suddenly thrown into the national spotlight. The novel was a best seller and the film was a major hit as well, with an Academy Award nomination for leading lady Meryl Streep. Though the rest of the country may have discovered our history for the first time with this classic story, here in the Hawkeye State, the bridges of Madison County are among the state’s most easily recognizable landmarks. They’re so quintessentially Iowan, and we love how a trip down the Covered Bridges Scenic Byway feels almost like a step back in time.

On your drive through Madison County, the Hogback Covered Bridge is the first you'll encounter along the Covered Bridge Scenic Byway.
Flickr / Tom Wicker
Another iconic red bridge along this path is the Roseman Covered Bridge. One fun fact about it is that it's rumored to be haunted.
Flickr / Tom Wicker
According to legend, an escaped inmate from a nearby prison was chased to the bridge. The police gathered at the ends of the bridge, expecting to intercept him during his escape... but he never came out the other side. It's said that people often hear men laughing on the bridge, and many people have reported their dogs acting disturbed when crossing the Roseman Covered Bridge.

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You may not believe in the story of the haunting, but either way, the Roseman Bridge is one of the major stars of "The Bridges of Madison County."
Flickr / Scott McLeod
This bridge is where the main characters first meet, and it also plays a later role when one of the character's ashes are scattered there.
Another covered bridge in Iowa along this route is the Holliwell Covered Bridge. It's 122 feet long, making it the longest of these landmark bridges. It was built in 1850 and we have to say, it looks pretty good for its age!
Flickr / Phil Roeder
It remains in its original site, over the Middle River near Winterset. In 1995, the bridge received a $225,000 renovation - maybe that's what's helped it age so gracefully.
The Cedar Bridge, which crosses Cedar Creek, has a sad, but resilient story.
lexandalf / Wikimedia Commons
The bridge was built in 1883 by Benton Jones and moved to its present location in 1921. In "The Bridges of Madison County," Cedar Bridge is where Francesca goes to meet Robert to help him take photographs. In 2002, Cedar Bridge was tragically destroyed by an arsonist. Two years later, it was rebuilt, but the second bridge was also burned in 2017. In 2019, the bridge was again rebuilt and re-opened a second time.

Check out the official trailer of “The Bridges of Madison County” to catch a glimpse of some of these Iowa covered bridges:

Other than the rebuilt Cedar Bridge, each of these historic bridges was constructed between 1870 and 1884. Pretty fascinating stuff!

Next time you find yourself searching for “covered bridges near me,” consider taking the Covered Bridges Scenic Byway to discover all these Iowa covered bridges in Madison County. We suggest visiting as many as you can!

If you are looking to travel to the area to check out some of these covered bridges in Iowa, there are plenty of great vacation rental homes in Madison County, Iowa listed on Vrbo.

 

 

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Covered Bridges Near Me

Lisa Sammons | August 29, 2023

How many covered bridges in Iowa are there?

There are nine authentic covered bridges in Iowa. Madison County originally had 19 covered bridges, of which six are still standing today. Five are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The bridges are some of the most popular tourist attractions in Iowa thanks to the hit film and book.

Was "The Bridges of Madison County" filmed in Iowa?

While many films that are set in one location are actually filmed somewhere else, "The Bridges of Madison County" was actually filmed in the Winterset, Iowa area where the story is set. The movie was a massive hit upon its release in 1995, earning $182 million at the box office after being filmed in just 42 days.

 

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