In the midst of the continuing cononavirus pandemic, Mainers continue to get outside and take walks around the roads less traveled — or even the roads well traveled — are the way to go in Maine.
Slowing down affords time to take in the natural, and even man-made, wonders that surround us in Maine. Here are a few from a recent stroll.
Readers — do you know where this is? [Answer is at the bottom].
Our adventure took us to the Wire Bridge, in New Portland, on the border of Franklin and Somerset counties. Built between 1864 and 1866, the suspension bridge is the only one of its kind left in Maine, according to the Maine Department of Transportation. It’s possible, according to the state DOT website, that it’s the only such bridge left in the U.S.
The span between its towers is 198 feet, and it traverses the Carrabassett River. It was designed and built by David Elder and Capt. Charles B. Clark. In 1959 the 99th Maine Legislature passed a law ensuring the bridge’s preservation, and it was renovated in 1961, when the timber tower bases were capped with concrete, the towers were rebuilt, steel suspender rods were replaced by steel cables, and a new timber deck was installed. The tower framing timbers and main support cables are the original material.
Photos by Maureen Milliken