In this Monday Aug. 29, 2011 photo, the remains of the Bartonsville Covered Bridge over the Williams River lie in Rockingham, Vt. in a field along the river downstream from its original location after heavy rains from Hurricane Irene tore the bridge out. If you had to choose one symbol that sums up the state's essence, it might well be the covered bridge. Besides being tourist magnets, the bridges embody a reverence for history and the rural landscape, a prized sense of community. But the spans are vulnerable. Until Irene hit on Aug. 28, Vermont still had 101; the storm destroyed two and damaged 13 others. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)