GREENE – A local man who stepped forward 18 years ago to preserve a covered wooden bridge – and his family’s legacy – has been recognized in a feature by a national magazine.

Robert Vredenburgh, 61, of Greene, a retired New York State Police investigator, was featured in the January edition of Country Extra magazine this year for his volunteer effort in restoring a 100-year-old bridge with money received through donations.

In 1990, Vredenburgh discovered at a family reunion that the Grant Mills Bridge, built by Vredenburgh’s grandfather, was being dismantled by the Town of Hardenburgh.

“We were at a family reunion, and the town supervisor was telling us about the plan to dismantle the bridge and reassemble it later. I figured that once they tore down the bridge, it would probably never get rebuilt,” said Vredenburgh.

Vredenburgh said he had always been a keeper of family history and heritage and couldn’t let this piece of his grandfather’s legacy slip away.

The bridge was in built 1902 when Vredenburgh’s grandfather Edgar Marks was awarded the contract with a original construction bid of $950. With the aid from other family members Marks finished the project in the same year on Dec. 8 and was just $78 over budget. The bridge was named the Grant Mills Bridge and crossed the Millbrook Stream.