In celebration of the 150th anniversary of its famous covered bridge, the town of Cornwall, Conn. is holding four celebratory events from July through October of this year. The first, “Paint the Bridge Day,” was held on Saturday, July 26, on Rte. 128, in the village of West Cornwall, Conn. 06796.
Professional and amateur artists alike created works inspired by the bridge, using any medium they chose, working alongside some of Cornwall’s locally and nationally known artists, including painter Brendan O’Connell, kinetic sculptor Tim Prentice, potter Todd Piker, and wood-worker and Shaker furniture maker Ian Ingersoll, among many others.
Cornwall’s famous one-lane Covered Bridge receives thousands of visitors every year and has been a frequent subject of painters and photographers. Built using diagonal, cross-lattice construction, this unique structure is officially named the Hart Bridge, after an early local family. Unusually long for a covered bridge (242.1 ft., 15 ft. wide), it spans the Housatonic River and has been the connector between the towns of Cornwall and Sharon since 1864.
The iconic, rust-red Covered Bridge was completed during the Civil War in 1864 and inducted into the National Register of Historic places in 1975.
To find out more about the Town of Cornwall’s attractions, artists, shops and events, visit www.explorecornwallct.com.