Beaverkill Covered Bridge protected

Listed on historic registers

By FRITZ MAYER

BEAVERKILL, NY — State officials from Albany paid a visit to the Beaverkill Covered Bridge on August 20 to announce that the bridge had been listed on the New York State and the National Registers of Historic Places.

Pete Grannis, commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) said, “As an avid fly fisherman, it gives me great pleasure to be a part of the special recognition given to this beautiful, historic covered bridge that has spanned this renowned stream for more than 140 years. Buoyed by the advocacy and commitment of many, this bridge stands as strong as it did when the first lattice was laid in 1865. And with its listing on the historic registers, we can be confident that it will span the Beaverkill for years to come.”

Some of the many who worked to preserve the bridge were members of the group Friends of Beaverkill Community. According to Less Mattis, who until about three weeks ago was president of the group, the members formally came together more than 10 years ago to try to ensure that a local church retain its wood exterior rather than switch to vinyl siding.

With that accomplished, the group turned its attentions to other projects, including the bridge. Sullivan County officials at the time told them that the county did not have the resources to maintain the bridge for much longer. Mattis wasn’t sure whether it was he or Patricia Adams who came up with the inquiry about whether the county might like to sell the bridge to the state, but the answer from Bob Trotta, then head of the Sullivan County Department of Public Works was, “yeah, for a buck.”

The group then contacted state officials and a lengthy negotiation process began. It was important to the community not only that the bridge be preserved, but that it remain in operation because it’s an important piece of the transportation infrastructure of the community.

Finally, eight or nine months ago, the ownership of the bridge was transferred to the DEC, which already owned the adjacent Beaverkill Public Campground. Responsibility for the maintanence of the bridge was transferred to the NYS Department of Transportation.

The listing on both the registers of historic places was part of the negotiations.

Ramsay Adams, executive director of the Catskill Mountainkeeper, said, “The Beaverkill Covered Bridge has been a focal point of community here for more than 150 years. This historic recognition will ensure that it continues to be a symbol of the Beaverkill for future generations and provide an important link in one of the state’s first Catskill campgrounds.”