In northern Maryland's Frederick County sightseers will find three historic covered bridges. All within 12 miles of each other, the trio makes up a beautiful driving tour of the county. Just north of Frederick, a key location on the Historic National Road and several Maryland Civil War Trails, you'll find the Utica Mills Covered Bridge.
   Rescued from a floodwater disaster on the Monocacy River, half of the Devilbiss Road Bridge was saved to be rebuilt as the Utica Mills Bridge. First built in the mid 1800s, the bridge was washed downstream after the Johnstown Flood in 1887. Able to "rescue"a large portion of the original timbers, the bridge was reconstructed over Fishing Creek in Utica. Supporting local traffic, steel beams help strengthen the wooden trusses and bear weight up to 30,000 pounds.
   One of the last of Frederick County's covered bridges to be restored, the 337,000 dollar project replaced termite and powder-post beetle riddled wood. With its fresh support beams and new timbers, the bridge was reopened in 1997.
   While the Utica Mills Bridge employs a Burr truss design, the Loy's Station Bridge in the Thurmont Area uses a multiple kingpost truss system. The Roddy Road Bridge, the shortest of the three bridges, crosses Roddy Creek with a single kingpost truss. Both, Roddy Road and Loy's Station Bridge include a cozy little park for family picnicking and access to the water.

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