>> TONIGHT IT'S A LOOK BACK AT THE EARLY DAYS OF GOLF IN VERMONT.

WE'LL TOUR THE STATE'S OLDEST COURSES AND MEET SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE WHEN GOLF WAS AT BEST A ROUGH AND TUMBLE AFFAIR INVOLVING PRIMITIVE EQUIPMENT AND UNPREDICTABLE CNTS AND WE'LL CONSIDER ONE OF THE LATEST TRENDS IN EXPERIMENTAL ENGINEERING BASED ON ONE OF THE OLDEST ENGINEERING TRADITIONS IN NEW ENGLAND, THE WOODEN BRIDGE.

>> WELCOME TO CROSSROADS.

I'M ENZO DIMAIO.

IT WASN'T UNTIL THE LATE 1800 THAT GOLF REACHED VERMONT.

SINCE THEN THE GREEN MOUNTAIN STATE HAS GENERATED ITS SHARE OF GOLFING HISTORY AND IS ONE OF% THE MOST POPULAR VENUES FOR THE SPORT IN AMERICA.

WE DECIDED TO TAKE A LOOK BACK AT SOME OF THE OLD COURSES AND THE PEOPLE WHO PLAYED THEM BACK WHEN THE GAME WAS STILL YOUNG.

>> CAN'T REALLY APPRECIATE IT UNTIL YOU DO T. IT'S A VERY FRUSTRATING GAME.

>> I REALLY ENJOY T THE COMPANIONSHIP AND THE COMPETITIVENESS OF IT ALL.

IT'S FUN.

>> IT'S A VERY PLEASANT GAME.

IT WOULDN'T BE SO POPULAR IF IT WEREN'T.

>> IT'S BECOME ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SPORTS IN THE COUNTRY.

IN VERMONT ALONE THERE ARE 59 GOLF COURSES AND MOST PLAYERS WOULD AGREE THAT EVEN THIS ISN'T ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE CONSTANTLY GROWING NUMBER OF PLAYERS.

ADVANCEMENTS IN MOWERS, FERTILIZERS AND IRRIGATION SYSTEMS HAVE TRANSFORMED THE JOB OF GROUNDSKEEPING INTO A SCIENCE.

THE FAIRWAYS ARE GROOMED TO CARPET-LIKE PERFECTION.

WHEN THE GAME WAS FIRST INTRODUCED TO THE STATE FAIRWAYS WERE NOTHING MORE THAN SECTIONS OF NATURAL PASTURE AND WHAT CONSTITUTE ADD GREEN WAS A PATCH OF LAND A LITTLE LESS ROUGH THAN THE AREA AROUND IT.

A BUNSMAN, A.W.

HARRINGTON, WAS THE FIRST TO SWING A SET OF CLUBS IN THE TOWN OF DORSET.

>> 1881 PEOPLE FROM TROY, NEW YORK, BUSINESSMEN LAID OUT A COURSE HERE ON THE PINNACLE, ALL TREES NOW.

IN THOSE DAYS IT WAS ALL PASTURE LAND, OPEN LAND.

THEY HAD TWO OR THREE HOLES UP THERE, TOMATO CANS FOR CUPS AND THEY WOULD SHOOT FROM ACROSS WHAT IS NOW ROUTE 30 ON TO THIS PROPERTY WHICH WE OWN.

BUT IN 1886, IN THE FALL, THEY LAID A NINE-HOLE COURSE, NOW LOCATED WHERE THIS COURSE IS NOW SITUATED.

BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY REAL WRITTEN PROOF THAT THIS WAS FOUNDED IN 1886 EXCEPT FROM WORD OF MOUTH HANDED DOWN GENERATION TO GENERATION.

>> THE DORSET FIELD CLUB DATES FROM 1886.

WHAT IS ACKNOWLEDGED THROUGHOUT THE GOLFING WORLD IS THE LONGEST CONTINUALLY OPERATED COURSE IN THE UNITED STATES IS ST.

ANDREWS OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, WHICH HAS ITS MINUTES FROM ITS FIRST MEETING IN FEBRUARY OF 1988.

DORSET SEEMS TO DATE TWO YEARS EARLIER BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A DATED MEMBERSHIP LIST OR MEETING NOTES FROM THE FIRST FEW MEETINGS STARTING THE COURSE.

SO WHILE SOME GOLF SCHOLARS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS THE OLDEST IT HASN'T TAKEN IS PLATES INPLACEIN THE RECORD BOOKS BUT S GEMLY ACKNOWLEDGED AS ONE EVER THE OLDEST CONTINUALLY OPERATING COURSES AND WHEREAS ST.

ANDREWS HAS MOVED TWICE SINCE THAT EARLY COURSE DORSET IS STILL ON THE ORIGINAL GOLFING GROUNDS ALTHOUGH THE ALIGNMENT OF THE HOLES IS NOT IDENTICAL TO THE ORIGINAL COURSE THEY STILL GOLF ON THAT SAME AREA.

>> MOST OF THE HOLES THAT ARE ON THE COURSE NOW ARE ON THE SAME PROPERTY AS THE ORIGINAL NINE.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY HOLES WERE BUILT THEN AND THE WAY THEY ARE NOW.

OVER HERE YOU CAN SEE ONE OF THE ORIGINAL HOLES WHICH IS MORE OF A SUNKEN SPACE THAN ELEVATED AS MOST GREENS ARE.

>> ONE OF THE TYPICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF EARLY GOLF STILL EVIDENT ARE THE SMALL GREENS AND TEES.

EARLY TEEING AREAS WERE MADE OF SAND AND BEFORE ADVENT OF WOODEN TEES IT WAS HIT OFF A MOLDED MOUND OF SAND.

SAND.

WHAT IS A GUTTY, YOU ASK?

>> IT COMES FROM TREE SAP FROM A TREE FOUND IN INDIA.

THAT BALL REPLACED THE FEATHERY GOLF BALL IN THE LATE 1800.

AND THE SAP WAS WARMED THEN MOLDED INTO THE SHAPE OF A BALL.

THOSE ARE WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PLAYED WITH IN VERMONT WHEN GOLF GOT STARTED IN THE STATE.

THE FIRST GUTTIES WERE SMOOTH AND THEY REALIZED THARY DYNAMICS OF THE BALL WAS NOT PROPER UNTIL IT WAS SCARRED A FEW TIMES BY THE CLUB.

THAT MADE THE BALL FLY FARTHER AND RISE A THE HIGHER.

THEN THEY STARTED PUTTING THE TREE SAP INTO A MOLD THAT FORMED IT INTO VARIOUS PATTERNS.

THOSE PATTERNS, SOME OF WHICH GOT QUITE UNUSUAL, FLEW BETTER THAN THE SMOOTH BALL.

THE GUTTY WAS REPLACED IN THE EARLY 1900s BY THE HASKELL BALL AND THAT BALL HAS EVOLVED INTO THE BALL THAT IS USED TODAY.

>> IN COMPARING THE OLD CLUBS AND THE NEW CLUBS, THE OLD CLUBS WERE MAINLY NAMED WHERE TODAY EVERYTHING IS BY NUMBERS AND THE DRIVER BEING ABOUT THE SAME, BUT THE NUMBER 22 WOOD TODAY WOULD HAVE BEEN A BRASS CY IN THOSE DAYS.

THE THREE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE SPOON.

YOUR IRON IS NUMBERED WEDGE THROUGH 9 OR 10 IN WEDGE.

IN THE OLD DAYS YOUR 2 IERP WOULD HAVE BEEN A MID IRON, 3 ANOTHER MID IRON.

YOUR NUMBER 5 IRON IN THOSE DAYS WOULD HAVE BEEN A MASHY.

YOUR NUMBER 6 OR 7 WOULD HAVE BEEN A MID MASHY.

YOUR 8, 9, SO FORTH WOULD HAVE BEEN NIMRICKS.

YOU DIDN'T HAVE 14 CLUBS.

>> NOT ONLY WERE THERE FEWER CLUBS BUT FEWER HOLES AS WELL.

MANY COURSES BEGAN WITH AS LITTLE AS THREE TO SIX HOLES PRIOR TO THE NINE OR 18 HOLE STANDARD.

EACH HOLE WAS IDENTIFIED BY A NAME INSTEAD OF A NUMBER.

>> THE HOLES PICKED UP THE CHARACTER OF WHERE THEY PLAYED.

IF THEY PLAYED OVER A RAVINE IT MAY BE MADE RAVINE.

IF THEY PLAYED TO A TOP OF A MOUNTAIN IT MAY BE NAMED MOUNTAIN TOP.

OVER WATER IT MAY BE C BE CASM .

NOW IT'S JUST ONE THROUGH NINE AND 10 THROUGH 18.

>> GOLF BEGAN AS A SPRING AND FALL SPORT BECAUSE THE GRASS WOULD BE EITHER JUST COMING UP IN THE SPRING OR MATTED DOWN IN THE FALL.

THAT WAS EASIER TO MAINTAIN WITHOUT THE USE OF MOTORIZED MOWERS.

THE COWS AND THE SHEEP MAINTAINED THE COURSE.

THE GREENS WOULD BE FENCED OFF TO PREVENT THEM FROM GETTING ON THAT PORTION AND THE HAND MOWER WOULD BE USED TO BRING THE GREENS DOWN TO A LITTLE LOWER HEIGHT OF GRASS THAN THE ANIMALS WOULD.

BUT OFTEN THE GREENS WERE SQUARE BECAUSE THAT COULD BE FENCED OFF EASIER.

>> I REMEMBER MOST THE FENCES AROUND THE GREEN BECAUSE THEY WERE BARBED WIRE AND THEY WERE A NUISANCE.

YOU HAD TO LET YOURSELF IN AND OUT OR YOU WOULD GET INTO TROUBLE BUT WE COULDN'T GET ALONG WITHOUT THEM.

COULDN'T HAVE THE COWS ON THE GREEN.

>> LIVESTOCK IN THE FAIRWAYS WAS TYPICAL OF THE PLAYING CONDITIONS OF THE LATE 1800 BUT FOR MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN OF THE MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTRY CLUB IN GREENSBORO, THE SO-CALLED AM AMBULATORY HAZARDS EXHIBITED UP TO THE 1960s.

TOMATO CANS CREATED THE GREENS.

THE FARMER WHO OWNED THE PASTURE RE CONTAINED THE GRAZULIS GRAZING RIGHTS.

>> YOU SHOOED THEM OUT OF THE WAY OR IGNORED THEM.

THEY CERTAINLY WERE THERE AND IN THE WAY AND LEFT SURPRISES BEHIND THAT WERE A BOTHER.

BUT THERE WEREN'T LOADS OF COWS.

THEY WERE SCATTERED AROUND.

I WOULDN'T SAY YOU MET A COW ON EVERY HOLE BUT IF YOU HIT A COW THAT WAS JUST TOO BAD.

YOU JUST WENT AHEAD, PLAYED ANOTHER BALL.

>> WE HAD ONE INCIDENT IN THE '30s WHICH IS IN OUR CLUB HISTORY OF A COW, A FEMALE MOTHER COW, GIVING BIRTH ON THE THIRD GREEN.

THIS IS WHEN THEY MANAGED TO GET ON THE GREEN APPARENTLY, AND SHE HELD UP PLAY ALL AFTERNOON AS SHE GAVE BIRTH AND THERE WAS A SCOTCH FOUR SOME.

EVERYONE GATHERED AROUND TO WATCH THIS GREAT EVENT IN MOUNTAIN VIEW HISTORY.

REMAINS ONE OF OUR BIG FOLKLORE HERE.

>> WITH THE COWS LONG GONE AND NOT ONE SAND TRAP, THE MOUNTAIN VIEW COURSE STILL OFFERS SUFFICIENT CHALLENGE TO GOLFERS WITH ITS NATURAL LANDSCAPE OF MOGULS, ROCKS AND TREES.

>> VERMONT HAS MANY RESORT GOLF COURSES WHICH DIFFER FROM OTHER COURSES IN THAT WHEN A PLAYER COMES AND HE ONLY HAS ONE DAY TO PLAY A COURSE YOU DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THAT PERSON WITH A BAD IMPRESSION OF YOUR GOLF COURSE OR THAT IT'S TOO DIFFICULT SO RESORT GOLF IS A BRAND OF ARCHITECTURAL STYLE WHERE SAND MAY SAVE YOU FROM GOING IN THE WOODS SO YOU CAN FIND YOUR BALL AGAIN.

A LARGE MOUND MAY KEEP YOUR BALL IN PLAY RATHER THAN IT JUST ROLLING THROUGH THE GREEN AREA INTO AN UNPLAYABLE SITUATION.

THE COURSES ARE DESIGNED SO THEY MAY LOOK DIFFICULT BUT MAY PLAY EASIER THAN THAT.

YOU DO THAT BY KEEPING THE BALL IN PLAY, BY BOWING THE FAIR WAY SOMEWHAT, MAKING THE HAZARDS SURROUNDING THE GREEN SUCH THAT THEY MAY BE DIFFICULT BUT THEY MAY BE LESS DIFFICULT THAN WHERE YOUR BALL WOULD GO IF THEY WEREN'T THERE.

>> THE WOODSTOCK COUNTRY CLUB HAS ONE MOST HISTORIC RESORT COURSES IN VERMONT.

IN 1895 THE FIRST COURSE WAS LAID OUT ALONGSIDE OF MOUNT PEG AND THE VALLEY BY A BOSTONIAN NAMED H.B.

HARRINGTON.

>> I STARTED PLAYING GOLF IN ABOUT 1923 OR 1924.

AT THAT TIME THE FIRST HOLE WAS ACROSS THE ROAD NEAR FRED'S HOUSE MEANING WE HAD TO DRIVE OVER THE MAIN HIGHWAY, WHICH IN THOSE DAYS DIDN'T POSE TOO MUCH OF A PROBLEM.

THE TRAFFIC WAS NOT REALLY VERY HEAVY.

I DON'T THINK THE COURSE WAS ANY HARDER THEN BECAUSE THE CHANGES IN EQUIPMENT, IMPROVEMENT IN EQUIPMENT, BUT IT WAS A HILLIER COURSE.

I DON'T THINK TODAY WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PLAY SOME OF THOSE HOLES, NOT AND USE GOLF -- IT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT DANGEROUS.

THERE WERE A COUPLE HOLES AND IT REALLY WAS STEEP, BUT I DON'T THINK THE COURSE TODAY IS ANY HARDER ACTUALLY.

THE EQUIPMENT IMPROVES YOUR GAME AND EQUALIZES THINGS.

>> THE HILLSIDE COURSE WAS COMPLETELY REDESIGNED IN THE EARLY '60s, LOWERED TO THE VALLEY FIELDS THE NEW COURSE SPORTED A WHOLE NEW LOOK TYPICAL OF RESORT COURSE ARCHITECTURE BUT WITH A FEW OF ITS OWN UNIQUE TWISTS.

>> WHAT'S THAT COUNTRY CLUB IS UNIQUE TO THE FACT THAT THE BROOK FLOWS THROUGH 12 OF THE HOLES.

ON TWO PARTICULAR HOLES, 4 AND 12, YOU HAVE TO CROSS IT TWICE, WITH YOUR TEE SHOT TO A SMALL LANDING AREA THEN CROSS IT AGAIN FOR YOUR APPROACH SHOT TO THE GREEN WHICH IS PROTECTED BY TREES ON THE BACK AND ON THE LEFT SIDE AND WITH THE BROOK IN FRONT OF IT.

THOSE ARE TWO HOLES ARE VERY DEMANDING HOLES AS FAR AS GOLF HOLES GO IN THE STATE OF VERMONT.

>> AFTER THE COURSE WAS REDESIGNED BY TRENT JONES I DON'T THINK THE REACTION AT FIRST WAS TOO FAVORABLE.

I THINK AS TIME WENT ON WE REALIZE IT IS A GOOD GOLF COURSE AND IT IS A HARD GOLF COURSE, VERY TIGHT.

IT'S WHAT'S KNOWN I GUESS AS A THINKING MAN'S GOLF COURSE BECAUSE OF THE TIGHTNESS OF THE FAIRWAYS, SMALL GREENS, SO FORTH.

NUMBER OF TRAPS.

AND THE WATER HAZARDS.

>> PRIOR TO THE 1900s THERE WAS JUST A SCATTERING OF COURSES IN THE STATE.

AS THE POPULARITY OF THE GAME INCREASED SO DID THE NUMBER OF COURSES.

>> THERE HAVE BEEN FOUR BOOMS OF VERMONT GOLF THAT ECHO THE BOOMS IN THE NORTHEAST AND PROBABLY MOST OF THE UNITED STATES.

THE 1890s SAW THE FIRST BOOM WHERE PEOPLE STARTED PLAYING GOLF AND A FEW CLUBS DEVELOPED.

A FEW WENT OUT OF EXISTENCE IN WORLD WAR I. BUT THEN IN THE 1920'S WAS THE REAL GOLDER AGE OF GOLF IN THE UNITED STATES APPEARED MANY, MANY COURSES WERE BUILT AND THERE WERE QUITE A FEW BUILT IN VERMONT IN THAT YEAR.

THE BURLINGTON COUNTRY CLUB, RUTLAND DATES ITS SECOND NINE IN BECOMING AN 18-HOLE COURSE IN THAT ERA.

BARRE GOT ITS COURSE ABOUT THAT TIME.

THAT WAS THE BIGGEST BOOM IN GOLF IN BOTH VERMONT AND THE UNITED STATES.

PROBABLY WE JUMPED UP TO 50, 60 COURSES AT THAT TIME IN THE STATE.

NATURAL ATTRITION DURING WORLD WAR II LOTS OF COURSES WENT OUT OF EXISTENCE.

IT WAS A STRUGGLE TO KEEP A COURSE GOING DURING WORLD WAR II BUT AS WE CAME OUT OF THAT IN THE '50s AND THE POPULARITY OF THE SPORT GREW AND THERE WAS ANOTHER BOOM, THIS TIME IN THE '50s AND '60s IT WAS AT THE HANDS OF THE SKI AREA WHO HAD BEEN TRYING TO DEVELOP A YEAR ROUND RECREATIONAL POSSIBILITY.

STARTING WITH STOWE AND SUGARBUSH, RIGHT DOWN THE BACKBONE OF THE GREEN MOUNTAINS THE COURSES DEVELOPED AT THE SKI AREAS.

IT'S FAIRLY UNIQUE EVEN IN NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND BECAUSE NEW HAMPSHIRE AND MAINE DON'T HAVE THAT SAME KIND OF DEVELOPMENT.

THERE ARE NOT AS MANY SKI AREAS.

>> SINCE THE SPORT BEGAN COMPETITIVENESS IN GOLF HAS KEPT THE POPULARITY ON AN UPWARD SWING.

>> THE VERMONT GOLF ASSOCIATION WAS FORMED AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY.

INSTITUTED THE VERMONT -- IN 1902.

THE FIRST FIVE YEARS IT WAS WON BY A MEMBER OF THE AQANA COUNTRY CLUB WHICH WAS OUR FIRST 18 HOLE GOLF COURSE OF CHAMPIONSHIP QUALITY.

THE OTHER THING THAT DEVELOPED IN VERMONT GOLF QUITE EARLY WERE MATCHES BETWEEN AREA CLUBS.

THIS DOESN'T SEEM TO GO ON TODAY AS MUCH BUT BACK AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY MOUNTAIN VIEW WOULD GO DOWN AND PLAY MONTPELIER AND GO OVER AND PLAY ST.

JOHNSBURY.

THERE'S A LOT OF ENTER CLUB PLAY OF INTER CLUBPLAY.

>> THE COWS, GUTTIES AND HICKORY STICKS MAY BE FADING MEMORIES BUT THE COMPETITION REMAINS VERY MUCH ALIVE TODAY.

SERVING TRIBUTE TO THE CHAMPIONS OF THE PAST AND AS INSPIRATION FOR TODAY'S GOLFERS.

FOR OVER A CENTURY THE GAME HAS BEEN PLAYED IN VERMONT AND IN THAT TIME THE COST HAS INCREASED, THE CROWDS HAVE GROWN AND THE PLAYING CONDITIONS HAVE IMPROVED DRAMATICALLY.

BUT THERE'S ONE ASPECT OF THE GAME THAT HAS REMAINED CONSTANT SINCE THE BEGINNING.

>> CAN'T BEAT THE SCENERY IN VERMONT.

LOOK AT THE COURSE OF THESE HILLS.

JUST GREAT.

>> AS LONG AS YOU CAN WALK AND ARE REASONABLY HEALTHY YOU CAN PLAY.

>> GOLF, THOROUGHLY ENJOY BEING THERE.

IT'S A STIMULATING GAME I THINK.

[LAUGHTER] >> YOU HEAR A LOT ABOUT THE DETERIORATION OF OUR NATION'S INFRASTRUCTURE THESE DAYS.

A CRUCIAL ELEMENT OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURES IS OUR HIGHWAY AND BRIDGE SYSTEM.

A FEW YEARS AGO A MOVEMENT GOT UNDER WAY TO EXPLORE THE VIABILITY OF WOODEN HIGHWAY BRIDGES ESPECIALLY IN LUMBERING REGIONS.

WE WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THIS UNIQUE BLENDING OF OLD AND NEW CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGIES.

THE BRIDGE.

THE AGE OLD SOLUTION TO A TIMELESS PROBLEM.

FOR CENTURIES MANKIND HAS BEEN FINDING BETTER AND BETTER WAYS OF SPANNING HIS RIVERS AND IN THE PROCESS HAS TURNED AWAY FROM THE NATURAL MATERIALS LIKE TIMBER AND STONE AND TURNED TO THE STRONGER AND MORE DURABLE STEEL AND CONCRETE.

BUT NOW AS THESE BRIDGES GROW EVER OLDER THEIR STRENGTH IS TESTED MORE AND MORE.

THEY ARE WORN DOWN BY WATER AND ROAD SALT, THE NUMBER OF TOWNS FACED WITH DANGEROUSLY WEAKENED BRIDGES IS BECOMING CRITICAL.

NOW VERMONTERS ARE TURNING BACK TO THE ORIGINAL SOLUTION THEIR ANCESTORS FIRST CONCEIVED OF CENTURIES AGO.

JACK DWYER IS HELPING IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A UNIQUE BRIDGE OVER THE BLOODY BROOK IN NORWICH, ONE WHOSE PRIMARY MATERIAL IS TIMBER.

>> ONCE A TREE IS CUT MY JOB STARTS.

WE COOPERATE IN PROGRAMS WITH THE U.S.

FOREST SERVICE AND THIS YEAR THE U.S.

FOREST SERVICE RECEIVED THE TIMBER INITIATIVE GRANT WHICH WAS $3 MILLION.

1.5 MILLION OF THOSE DOLLARS GOES TOWARD CONSTRUCTION OF TIMBER BRIDGES IN EVERY STATE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

THIS IS A PROJECT WHICH WE GOT AWARDED SOME MONEY FOR.

>> UP TO 30 FOOT LONG GALVANIZED STEEL RODS ARE USED TO TIE TOGETHER THE ODD LINKS OF YELLOW PINE AND BIRCH BOARD STOCK.

UNLIKE HAMMER AND NAILS, THIS MODERN METHOD IS STRONGER AND FURTHER PREVENTS WATER DETERIORATION.

WHEN HYDRAULICALLY COMPRESSED THIS WOODEN SANDWICH WILL BE COMPARABLE IN STREJT TO THE BEST STEEL BRIDGE OF ITS SIZE BUT EXPECTED TO LAST MUCH LONGER.

>> ONE, THE SPEED OF CONSTRUCTION.

THE SECOND THING IS POSSIBLY MAINTENANCE.

THE DE-ICING CHEMICALS USED IN THE WINTERTIME IN VERMONT WILL NOT AFFECT THE TIMBER BRIDGE.

THE COST OF TIMBER BRIDGES WHEN WE ADD TO OUR SIX, EIGHT, TEN INCH MATERIAL WOULD BE LESS THAN STEEL AND CONCRETE.

THE INSTALLATION COST WOULD BE A LOT LESS.

THE INSTALLATION TIME BASICALLY YOU'RE TALKING IF YOU DELIVER A BRIDGE HERE YOU CAN SET IT IN IN A DAY.

>> TODAY'S BRIDGES ARE CONSTRUCTED BY EXPERT ENGINEERS WHO ARE ABLE TO USE PRECISE FORMULAS AND ACCURATE SCIENTIFIC ANALYSES OF POTENTIAL STRESSES FROM WIND, SNOW AND HEAVY LOADS.

BUT IT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY.

IN AMERICA'S EARLY PIONEERING DAYS TIMBER WAS THE NATURAL CHOICE FOR BRIDGE MATERIAL AND OFTEN THE ONLY EDUCATION EARLY BRIDGE BUILDERS HAD WAS ACQUIRED THROUGH EXPERIENCE, EXPERIMENTATION AND JUST PLAIN COMMON SENSE, WHICH WAS FINE FOR 100 YEARS AGO WHEN TRAFFIC WAS ONLY AS HEAVY AS AN OCCASIONAL HAY CART AND THE HORSE.

NOW ENGINEERS ARE ABLE TO TAKE THE MATERIALS AND CRAFTSMANSHIP OF THE 19th CENTURY AND COMBINE THEM WITH THE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF THE 20th CENTURY TO CREATE NEW DESIGNS ABLE TO MEET TODAY'S TRAFFIC NEEDS.

>> WITH THE OLD BRIDGES HAD A TENDENCY TO BE SOMEWHAT OVERDESIGNED.

THEY WERE NOT CAPABLE TO HANDLE THE TRAFFIC WHICH WE HAVE TODAY.

>> THE PROPONENTS OF MODERN TIMBER BRIDGES WANT TO EVENTUALLY SET UP A WHOLE NEW INDUSTRY FOR VERMONT WHICH WOULD USE OUR OWN FOREST RESOURCES TO REGULARLY MAJOR TIMBER BRIDGES.

THE IDEA WOULD BE TO REPLACE BADLY CORRODED STEEL BRIDGES AT A FRACTION OF THE COST.

>> WE HAVE A LOT OF BRIJTS TO REPLACE, WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO REPLACE.

IF WE CAN REPLACE 10% MORE BRIDGES WITH THE SAME MONEY LET'S GO THAT WAY.

>> HERE WE GO.

THAT'S IT.

THAT IS IT.

NOW WE JUST PUT THE PLATES ON.

THE STATE HOUSE IS SO CONFIDENT IN THIS UP AND COMING INDUSTRY THAT THE GOVERNOR INITIATED A TIMBER BRIDGE DESIGN COMPETITION TO BE COORDINATED BY THE AGENCY OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE VERMONT COUNCIL ON THE ARTS.

>> THE GOVERNOR WANTED TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING WHICH WOULD BE A PROTOTYPE BRIDGE THAT WE COULD USE IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS AROUND THE STATE THAT WOULD MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES, WOULD BE AESTHETICALLY BEAUTIFUL IN THE SURROUNDINGS, COST EFFICIENT, AND SOMETHING THAT WOULD USE NATIVE MATERIALS.

THE IMPETUS FOR THE COMPETITION WAS THE NEED FIRST OF ALL, THE LOCAL SYSTEM NEED FOR TOWN BRIDGES THAT ARE DETERIORATING, AND EITHER NEED REPLACEMENT OR SOME WORK TO BE DONE ON THEM.

>> STEVEN KNIGHT OF KNIGHT CONSULTING ENGINEERS HEADS THE JURY FOR THE COMPETITION COMPOSED OF NATIONALLY RENOWNED ENGINEERS, ARTISTS AND ARCHITECTS.

ONE OF THE JURY'S FIRST TASKS WAS TO DETERMINE THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR A DESIGN ENTRY.

>> THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT HERE TO HAVE A COVERED BRIDGE OR ANY OTHER GIVEN STYLE.

BUT IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE INNOVATIVE AND HAVE A GOOD APPEARANCE.

>> THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE STRUCTURE OF THE BRIDGE ARE MORE STRICT.

THE ENGINEERS COMPETING MUST DESIGN THEIR BRIDGE IN ORDER TO MATCH OR EXCEED THE SPECIFICATIONS OF SHORT SPAN STEEL BRIDGES.

>> OTHER CRITERIA INCLUDE THE STANDARD 20 TON TRUCK.

IT ACTUALLY USES EIGHT TENTHS OF THE 20 TONS ON THE SINGLE AXLE OF THE REMEMBER TRUCK WHICH IS SEVERE LOADING BUT IT'S THE MODERN TRUCK THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IN TODAY'S SOCIETY.

OTHER CRITERIA INCLUDE THE USE OF PRESSURE TREATED TIMBER.

IN OTHER WORDS WE WANT PRESERVATIVE APPLIED TO ALL TIMBER.

IT HAS TO BE COST EFFECTIVE AND OF COURSE SOME OF THAT WILL DEPEND ON AVAILABILITY OF MATERIALS AND PRESSURE TREATMENT OF THE TIMBER.

>> WE DO HAVE THE RESOURCE.

THE 14-INCH TIMBERS WILL BE HARD BUT WE CAN GET THEM.

IN ORDER TO KEEP OUR FOREST RESOURCE VIABLE WE HAVE TO CREATE MARKETS FOR THE TIMBER.

MANY BRIDGES WILL BE SIX, EIGHT, TEN, 25, 30 FEET THAT I FEEL COULD TAKE THE PLACE OF STEEL AND CONCRETE RIGHT NOW.

>> I WOULD NOT EXPECT TO LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE TIMBER COMPLETELY REPLACE CONCRETE AND STEEL BRIDGES.

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE LONG TERM, OF COURSE.

>> SO WITH THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE FUTURE WE TURN TO THE RESOURCES OF THE PAST AND CREATE FOR OURSELVES A PROMISING ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION TO THE PRESENT NEED FOR BRIDGES TO CROSS.

>> THAT'S CROSSROADS FOR THIS TIME.

WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE PROGRAM AND THAT YOU'LL BE WITH US NEXT WEEK WHEN WE'LL TRACE THE HISTORY OF A TYPICAL VERMONT TOWN THROUGH PICTURES APPEARED MEMORIES OF THE FOLKS THAT EXPERIENCED IT.

UNTIL THEN FOR ALL OF US AT CROSSROADS, I'M ENZO DIMAIO.

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>> FOR MORE CLASSIC PROGRAMS, VISIT