Covered bridges were invented to help extend the life of wooden bridges, which otherwise tend to rot away after a few years. They have largely been replaced by more modern designs where practicality is the priority, but many existing ones remain in use, and they are favorites of tourists and photographers alike, as they capture the essence of colonial, rustic New England.

This one, though, is a bit of an oddity. As you can see, it's somewhat of a "bridge to nowhere" -- it doesn't actually span a river or gorge, just a small ravine. In fact, as the magnificent view probably gives away, it's located high in the hills, at an elevation of almost 2000 feet. The view looks northwest towards the northern Green Mountains. Obviously there were simpler ways to cross a little gully like this, but the owner of the land, Richard Spaulding, had a cooler idea. He designed this span as a replica of a bridge in Marshfield, and named it for his great-grandfather, A. M. Foster, former owner of Maple Glen Farm. That farm is now owned by the Burtt family, who run Burtt's Apple Orchard, just down the road from the bridge on Cabot Plains Road. (I have pictures taken in and near that orchard elsewhere in this SceneSet.) The little pond under the bridge was actually added after it was constructed.