Robeyville Covered Bridge Traditional Cache

As the name describes this geocache will bring you to a covered bridge. As I live nearby I used to enjoy driving my horse and carriage across this bridge reliving how traffic moved “in the old days”.

Bring your own pen.

This bridge is located in what once was a busy mill town. This fine old bridge saw plenty of traffic to the grist mill. A sign over the entrance shows 1876 as the date that Royal A Sweet built the bridge but records show that the bridge was constructed between 1870 and 1872. The bridge is 97 feet long and spans the Kenduskeag stream . The bridge’s fame is that it was completely wood shingled, not only the roof but the sides as well. Other bridges have been finished in this manner, however, the Robeyville is the last one in Maine and probably in the entire country. The abutments and piers are of massive granite stones. They are interlocking in the abutment so that it has survived high waters that have washed out bridges of similar age. To bind the stone a thin mix of lime and cement were poured into the mass of the abutment. It trickled between the stones filling the gaps, and hardened to make a solid piece of work. At one time there were 120 covered bridges in Maine. Due to log jams and floods there is only 10 scattered from Aroostook to York Counties. The bridges were covered to protect truss members from the elements. In 1982 girders were placed inconspicuously under the bridge and in 1984 upgraded to carry local traffic. So go ahead and drive your vehicle through. Better yet walk through and look at the construction and hear the long ago hoof beats of the carriage traffic tthat was once the major mode of transport. This is a historic site and a treasure of the Town of Corinth.