Stockton, New Jersey

Green Sergeant's Covered Bridge

New Jersey's last historic covered bridge was rebuilt from pieces of the original 19th-century structure.

This rickety-looking bridge is the last historic covered bridge in New Jersey. It looks like a scene pulled straight from the pages of the Northeastern United States’ past: worn wooden panels flanked by a seasonal assortment of leafy greens, fiery autumnal colors, or thick lumps of snow. It’s easy to imagine the clip-clop of hooves echoing through the air as carriage horses carted travelers over the creek.

Green Sergeant’s Covered Bridge was originally built in 1872. For nearly a hundred years, horse-drawn traffic, then later automobiles, passed through. But unfortunately, the 19th-century bridge wasn’t built to accommodate the cars of the future.

Cars repeatedly rammed into the structure. In 1960, it was damaged so badly that local officials opted to dismantle the bridge and replace it with a more modern version.

But the community rallied around the beloved old bridge. Thanks to public outcry, it was reassembled using its original materials. The bridge still receives its fair share of car-induced abuse, but it still stands strong. This small piece of New Jersey’s transportation past is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.