North of Lapeer on the way into the middle of Michigan's Thumb is Silverwood Road. An old camelback bridge carries a tradition, do a burnout when you cross.

The bridge dates back to 1928. Certainly, the burnout tradition is much more recent. The Silverwood Road bridge crosses the North Branch of the Flint River and is a favorite among those who enjoy old bridges as noted by HistoricBridges.org:

The Silverwood Road Bridge is the last remaining bridge of its type in Lapeer County, and one of the last in the entire greater thumb area of Michigan. It is significant on a local and national scale. For its age, and with no evidence of noteworthy maintenance, it is in very good structural condition, with remarkably little evidence of spalling or cracking.

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The tongue-in-cheek burnout tradition was shared recently on the Abandoned, Old and Interesting Places in Michigan Facebook group.

Grew up right there and it is definitely a requirement to do a burnout.

Siverwood Road connects to the small hamlet of Sliverwood on the Lapeer/Tuscola county line.

The historic nature of the bridge comes from the fact that it's a camelback. The design is increasingly rare. In Southwest Michigan a few examples remain like the one at New Troy in Berrien County and a well-known now closed-to-traffic example in Mottville that once carried US 12 (or US 112 if you want to get technical).

Looking for more great drives? Head out on a virtual journey of must-drives from around the county:

See the Must-Drive Roads in Every State

Find great places around the midwest - here are our picks for the best hometowns in the region:

 

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