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Covered bridges are great historical pieces that are

protected by law these days. In the United States,

there are at least 200 covered bridges registered

under the National Registry of Historic Places because

of their important role in a town’s or county’s

history.

Most of the covered bridges still being used today are

under the protection of the government and cannot be

easily demolished or reconstructed without the prior

permission of a local board set up to oversee the

maintenance and preservation of these historic land

marks. Most of them were built in the early nineteenth

century when there was a huge movement of people from

coastal cities toward the interior of the country

where there are a lot of creeks, streams, and raging

rivers. As towns developed, there was an apparent need

for people to be connected and thus covered bridges

were constructed.

But did you know that covered bridges’ history dates

back at least two thousand years? There were ancient

covered bridges in China and even in Babylon 780 years

before the birth of Christ. These ancient covered

bridges, according to written history, were more like

architectural masterpieces used to accentuate the

landscape of imperial palaces and gardens. But they

also served a more practical purpose: covered bridges

were perfect for protecting palaces and important

places from being stormed by rebels or invading

armies. Some ancient covered bridges were made of

stone and because of its walls and ceilings, were

perfect spots to hide from arrows and spears while

fighting.

In America, covered bridges first appeared in the

early part of the 1800’s. The first was built by

Theodore Burr in New York. His name is also being used

these days as a name of a truss usually used in

building covered bridges: the Burr truss. The bridge

spanned the Hudson River and was named the Waterford

Bridge.

Waterford lasted for over a hundred years but since

then the idea of covered bridges became more popular

and started to gain popularity in the western part of

the country. The first and second covered bridges in

recorded American history can be found in Oregon City

where they have become important infrastructures in

joining communities developing in both sides of the

river. They were eventually destroyed by heavy

flooding in 1853.

Aside from the beauty and practicality of covered

bridges, they were also a necessary move in ensuring

the economic development of towns and villages in

early America. In the days prior to their

construction, ferries were the only ways to go around

towns developing on opposite sides of a river. Because

of the importance of connecting townspeople to

important places like schools, government offices, and

churches, ferries had the monopoly in transportation

and could charge people, especially businessmen who

needed to move heavy loads of merchandise, absurd

amounts as they wanted.

That in turn created a demand from townspeople to the

local government asking them to build bridges. Since

financing the construction cost a lot, people

entertained the idea of protecting these bridges with

roofs and walls. Exposed wood can deteriorate quickly

when exposed to harsh weather conditions, and since it

was expensive to build bridges, taxpayers wanted them

to be protected. And that ushered in the era of

covered bridges in America.

Covered bridges also provided jobs for people in towns

where they were built. And soon architects and

carpenters were competing on innovative ideas. One

idea was to make covered bridges look like barns as to

make livestock crossing it more comfortable, avoiding

dangerous stampedes common when forcing animals to

cross rivers. Since the early 19th century, covered

bridges have slowly made its mark in towns’ history

and though it experienced a slow decline due to rapid

commercialization and the introduction of cement and

other modern building materials, covered bridges are

now considered to be historic pieces worth preserving.

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Many people would agree that the best birthday cake is

the cheesecake. There are others who cannot imagine a

world where cheesecake is not created. Nothing

compares to having a delicious dairy treat every once

in a while - almost everyone loves a slice of

cheesecake.

Cheesecake and the Ancient Greek

Many believe that cheesecake originated as a New York

City delicacy somewhere around the 20th century.

Surprisingly, Ancient Greeks have been creating

cheesecake for thousands of years before any American

even tried to put their hands - and mouth- on the

delicious indulgence. There are several publications

indicating that cheesecakes were first created during

the seventh and eighth centuries B.C. right on the

island of Samos in Greece.

Back then, the Greeks created cheesecakes by

combining, wheat flour, honey and cheese that had been

pounded to a paste-like and smooth consistency. The

mixture was then formed into cakes, baked and then

cooled before handed out. During the first Olympic

Games that happened in Greece in 776 B.C., the

athletes ate cheesecake, which provided them with the

energy they needed for several rigorous competitions.

Cheesecake became a popular Greek delicacy and was

even the ancestor of Western culture’s wedding cake

tradition. It also became a custom for a Greek bride

to bake and serve cheesecakes to her new husband’s

friends as a gesture of hospitality. This concept in

marriages eventually paved the way for wedding cakes.

During the time when the Romans occupied Greece,

cheesecake recipes were one of their rewards of war.

They quickly adapted the delightful taste of the

cheesecake and being a powerful empire that they were,

the Romans went on to conquer and occupy much of

Europe and Great Britain. During their conquests, the

Romans introduced the concept of cheesecake to various

lands, which came under their influence. It was only a

matter of time before European migrants carried with

them their treasured cheesecake recipes to the land of

the brave and the free, the America.

Today’s Cheesecake

Although the original cheesecake recipe came from

Greece, it quickly adapted several culinary styles and

variations during its journey to other territories.

The basic ingredients, namely the cheese, flour and

sweetener, are still present but the contemporary

cheesecake bear little resemblance to the cheesecake

of Ancient Greece.

During the late 19th century, New York dairy farmers

invented cream cheese, which quickly became the

popular type of cheese used for cheesecakes. The flour

used for the crust was substituted with cookie crumbs

and graham cracker crumbs, which made the cheesecakes

from the United States popular. Ancient cheesecake

recipes also use honey as sweetener, but it was

eventually replaced by the more common granulated cane

sugar. In addition, the standard cheesecake today also

includes fillings, such as: milk or cream, flavorings,

butter and eggs.

Even the method of baking has evolved. Back then, all

the ingredients were mixed together all at once but

modern cheesecakes are made with layering the

ingredients; first the crust is made, and then the

filling and lastly, the toppings, if available, are

added. The toppings also have unlimited variety, which

include spices, chocolate, nuts, fruits, and whipped

cream, among other choices.

But even though the ingredients and the process of

baking have evolved, everyone still owes the divine

treat to the Greeks. Cheesecake has lived for years

and still continues to prosper - it is an ancient

delight that will never go out of style no matter how

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