Will Truax

About Me 

Email: Bridgewright [at] gmail [dot] com
Website: http://bridgewright.wordpress.com/

Timberframer / Bridgewright / Preservation Carpenter - Wooden bridge historian

Bridges Photographed 

(In no particular order)


Oneida River Bridge
McGregor Bridge
PRRT - Snyder Brook Bridge
Beebe River Bridge

Bennett-Bean Covered Bridge 19-09-03
CSX - Brewerton Bridge
Sullivan Railroad Covered Bridge
Pine Grove Covered Bridge 38-15-22 / 38-36-41

Amoskeag Bridge
Durgin Covered Bridge 29-02-07

Recent Updates 

Cedar Covered Bridge (2004) (Madison County, Iowa)
Reconstructed covered bridge over Cedar Creek on Cedar Bridge Road
April 15, 2017: Updated by Will Truax: Changed status - Lost to arson yet again 15 April 2017
Cedar Covered Bridge (2004) (Madison County, Iowa)
Reconstructed covered bridge over Cedar Creek on Cedar Bridge Road
April 15, 2017: Updated by Will Truax: Changed status - Lost to arson yet again 15 April 2017
Cooper Iron Bridge (Putnam County, Indiana)
Through truss bridge over Deer Creek on CR 25 East
March 18, 2017: Updated by Will Truax: Updated status
Sinking Creek Covered Bridge 46-35-01 (Giles County, Virginia)
Howe through truss bridge over sinking creek on Old Clover Hollow Rd
March 4, 2017: Updated by Will Truax: Updated status
Bridge Street Bridge (Middlesex County, Massachusetts)
Through truss bridge over Merrimack River on Bridge Street in Lowell
February 10, 2017: Updated by Will Truax: Added alternate name
West Union Covered Bridge 14-61-27 (Parke County, Indiana)
Covered bridge over Sugar Creek on CR525W north of West Union
January 15, 2017: Updated by Will Truax: Updated NHL status
Eldean Covered Bridge 35-55-01 (Miami County, Ohio)
Two-span covered bridge over Miami River on Farver Road (formerly Eldean Road)
January 15, 2017: Updated by Will Truax: Updated NHL status
West Union Covered Bridge 14-61-27 (Parke County, Indiana)
Covered bridge over Sugar Creek on CR525W north of West Union
January 15, 2017: Updated by Will Truax: Updated NHL status
Johnson Creek Covered Bridge 17-101-01 (Robertson County, Kentucky)
Smith through truss bridge over Johnson Creek on on an old alignment of KY 1029
November 18, 2016: Updated by Will Truax: Changed "Owner" and "Design" - Long misidentified as a Smith
South Central Avenue Bridge (Washington County, Pennsylvania)
Pony truss bridge over Chartiers Creek on Sr 0980
July 15, 2016: Updated by Will Truax: Added Truss type
South Central Avenue Bridge (Washington County, Pennsylvania)
Pony truss bridge over Chartiers Creek on Sr 0980
July 15, 2016: Added
Jericho Covered Bridge 20-03-01 / 20-12-01 (Baltimore County, Maryland)
Burr arch-truss bridge over Little Gunpowder Falls on Jericho Road
April 22, 2016: Updated by Will Truax: Added builders name
Concord Covered Bridge 10-33-02 (Cobb County, Georgia)
Covered bridge over Nickajack Creek on Concord Road in Smyrna
April 16, 2016: New video
Smith Millennium Bridge 29-05-10#2 (Grafton County, New Hampshire)
Covered bridge over Baker River on Smith Bridge Road in Plymouth
January 9, 2016: Updated by Will Truax: Corrected name, year of construction etc.
Jericho Covered Bridge 20-03-01 / 20-12-01 (Baltimore County, Maryland)
Burr arch-truss bridge over Little Gunpowder Falls on Jericho Road
August 30, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Made multiple corrections including street name
Stonelick Covered Bridge 35-13-02 (Clermont County, Ohio)
Covered bridge over Stonelick Creek on Stonelick Williams Corner Road (CR 116)
August 30, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Updated status
Robyville Covered Bridge 19-10-02 (Penobscot County, Maine)
Long Truss covered bridge over Kenduskeag Stream on Covered Bridge Road
July 13, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Corrected Truss Type
Jericho Covered Bridge 20-03-01 / 20-12-01 (Baltimore County, Maryland)
Burr arch-truss bridge over Little Gunpowder Falls on Jericho Road
May 26, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Updated temporary status
Bath Bridge 29-05-03 (Grafton County, New Hampshire)
Covered bridge over Ammonoosuc River on West Bath Road in Bath
May 16, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Corrected name - In that the name listed here is / was in use no where else
McGregor Bridge (Hillsborough County, New Hampshire)
Lost Lenticular Truss Bridge over Merrimack River on Bridge Street
May 15, 2015: New photo
Vance Creek Viaduct (Mason County, Washington)
Massive steel arch bridge over Vance Creek on Simpson Railroad
April 26, 2015: New video
Amoskeag Bridge (Hillsborough County, New Hampshire)
Lost Lattice through truss bridge over Merrimack River on Bridge Street
April 6, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Removed photos & information (from those photos) proving to have been those of an adjacent bridge
Cheshire Bridge (Sullivan County, New Hampshire)
Through truss bridge over Connecticut River on VT 11 / NH 11 in Charlestown
April 1, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Added alternate name - Truss type to design line
Carroll Lee Cropper Bridge (Dearborn County, Indiana)
Steel through arch bridge over Ohio River on I-275
March 31, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Confirmed & corrected bridges name
Amoskeag Bridge (Hillsborough County, New Hampshire)
Lost Lattice through truss bridge over Merrimack River on Bridge Street
March 31, 2015: Added
McGregor Bridge (Hillsborough County, New Hampshire)
Lost Lenticular Truss Bridge over Merrimack River on Bridge Street
March 29, 2015: New photo
Baker River Bridge (Grafton County, New Hampshire)
Bypassed through truss bridge over Baker River on Wentworth Village Road in Wentworth
March 17, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Changed ownership from state to town - Added alternate (locasl preference) name
McGregor Bridge (Hillsborough County, New Hampshire)
Lost Lenticular Truss Bridge over Merrimack River on Bridge Street
March 17, 2015: New photos
Newfield Covered Bridge 32-55-01 (Tompkins County, New York)
Town Lattice through truss with supplemental arches over West Branch Cayuga Inlet on Covered Bridge Street in Newfield Hamlet
February 19, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Corrected overview
Scipio Covered Bridge 14-40-01 (Jennings County, Indiana)
Covered bridge over Sand Creek on CR 575W
February 19, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Added builder
McGregor Bridge (Hillsborough County, New Hampshire)
Lost Lenticular Truss Bridge over Merrimack River on Bridge Street
January 31, 2015: New photo
Arlington Memorial Bridge (Washington, District of Columbia)
Bascule bridge with concrete arch approaches over Potomac River on Memorial Avenue
January 27, 2015: New video
Darlington Covered Bridge 14-54-01 (Montgomery County, Indiana)
Two-span covered bridge over Sugar Creek on CR 500 North, west of Darlington
January 25, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Added Smith Co. and named local contractors garnered from National Register papers
Sullivan Railroad Covered Bridge (Cheshire County, New Hampshire)
Lost Through truss bridge over Connecticut River on Sullivan Railroad
January 23, 2015: New photos
Johnson's Mill Covered Bridge 38-36-35x (Lancaster County, Pennsylvania)
Lost Burr arch-truss bridge over Chiques Creek on Marietta Avenue
January 20, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Corrected HABS based error in builders name
McGregor Bridge (Hillsborough County, New Hampshire)
Lost Lenticular Truss Bridge over Merrimack River on Bridge Street
January 17, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Added contract price
McGregor Bridge (Hillsborough County, New Hampshire)
Lost Lenticular Truss Bridge over Merrimack River on Bridge Street
January 17, 2015: New photo
McGregor Bridge (Hillsborough County, New Hampshire)
Lost Lenticular Truss Bridge over Merrimack River on Bridge Street
January 16, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Fixed typo
McGregor Bridge (Hillsborough County, New Hampshire)
Lost Lenticular Truss Bridge over Merrimack River on Bridge Street
January 16, 2015: Added
Henniker Road Covered Bridge 29-07-62x (Merrimack County, New Hampshire)
Lost Covered Briggs lattice truss bridge over Contoocook River on Old Route 9 & 202
January 4, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Corretcted multiple errors repeated from the HABS report
Henniker Road Covered Bridge 29-07-62x (Merrimack County, New Hampshire)
Lost Covered Briggs lattice truss bridge over Contoocook River on Old Route 9 & 202
December 28, 2014: Updated by Will Truax: Corrected design description & Trruss type
Moose Brook Bridge (Coos County, New Hampshire)
Howe pony truss bridge over Moose Brook on Former Boston & Maine/St. Lawrence & Atlantic
December 26, 2014: New photo
Vine Street Covered Bridge 14-73-04x (Shelby County, Indiana)
Lost Burr arch-truss bridge over Little Blue River on Vine Street (now Morris Ave)
December 20, 2014: Updated by Will Truax: Added category
Cheshire - Connecticut River Covered Bridge 45-13-55x / 29-03-23x (Windham County, Vermont)
Lost Burr arch-truss bridge over Connecticut River on Chesire Railroad
December 10, 2014: Updated by Will Truax: Corrected design description
PRRT - Snyder Brook Bridge (Coos County, New Hampshire)
Boxed Howe pony truss bridge over Snyder Brook on Trail
December 10, 2014: New video
PRRT - Snyder Brook Bridge (Coos County, New Hampshire)
Boxed Howe pony truss bridge over Snyder Brook on Trail
December 3, 2014: Updated by Will Truax: Updated status
Sewalls Falls Road Bridge (Merrimack County, New Hampshire)
Through truss bridge over Merrimack River on Sewalls Falls Road
December 3, 2014: Updated by Will Truax: Updated status
Poland Bridge 45-08-02 (Lamoille County, Vermont)
Burr arch bridge over Lamoille River on C3023 in Cambridge
November 9, 2014: Updated by Will Truax: Removed redundancy of appending MKP to design / truss type
Moose Brook Bridge (Coos County, New Hampshire)
Howe pony truss bridge over Moose Brook on Former Boston & Maine/St. Lawrence & Atlantic
November 1, 2014: Updated by Will Truax: Corrected length
Moose Brook Bridge (Coos County, New Hampshire)
Howe pony truss bridge over Moose Brook on Former Boston & Maine/St. Lawrence & Atlantic
November 1, 2014: New video

Recent Comments 

[Respond]
Black Covered Bridge 35-09-03 (Ohio)
Posted July 21, 2017

I would not categorize this truss as a Childs, it is a Long variant.

Though it curiously has the Double Posts in Childs' patent (Unlike the Sherman variant "Childs" Trusses) There are the Counter Braces ala Long and the Braces join the posts in Long fashion as opposed to Childs - And more importantly the Truss Rods are configured opposite of how a Childs conveys loads from panel to panel, they would be ascending not descending.

I suspect the rods were either added post build or were used in lieu of the pre-tensioning wedges in the Long patent.

I've visited the Sherman variants, but not this bridge and am somewhat reluctant to edit the page based solely on photographs. At the same time I think it a bit silly to miscategorize the bridge simply because the Historic marker was written based on assumption over research.

Does anyone who has visited have better shots, or an opinion as to type?

[Respond]
Chester Covered Bridge 29-08-m (New Hampshire)
Posted July 4, 2017

Hadn't realized anyone had added this here.

Some may have interest in these followups -

https://bridgewright.wordpress.com/2012/08/17/less-than-hard...

https://bridgewright.wordpress.com/2011/08/17/bastard-childs...

Re Factory Walk
Posted May 29, 2017

Though greatly diminished in numbers, these were quite common in mill complexes here in New England.

As far as a going name for this category of sky-bridge, The National Park Service (my current employer) refers to them as "Industrial Bridges" as can be seen in this technical bulletin.

https://www.nps.gov/tps/standards/applying-rehabilitation/it...

[Respond]
Cooper Iron Bridge (Indiana)
Posted March 18, 2017

Closed after an inspection Friday, though it is said the recommendation is for repair.

http://www.bannergraphic.com/story/2395290.html

[Respond]
Red Maple Covered Bridge 46-35-03 (Virginia)
Posted March 4, 2017

Thought I'd nailed down which was which with portal details...

You're right, the right PE and "contractor" are key. I've a friend I've done some preservation work with in the Roanoke area, he's done some structural work on one of the Woolwine examples, I'll make sure he's aware of this development.

Modjeski subject of new film
Posted February 13, 2017

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-modjeski-bridges-getti...

Is this list complete?

http://bridgehunter.com/category/builder/ralph-modjeski/

[Respond]
Trenton Bridge (New Jersey)
Posted September 30, 2016

More background and speculation here >

https://bridgewright.wordpress.com/2011/12/21/long-lost-thou...

[Respond]
South Central Avenue Bridge (Pennsylvania)
Posted July 15, 2016

The end is nigh > http://www.observer-reporter.com/20160714/south_central_brid...

[Respond]
Soden's Mill Bridge (Kansas)
Posted June 18, 2016

Excepting the Wooden / Iron "Combination" trusses.

[Respond]
Baker River Bridge (New Hampshire)
Posted June 10, 2016

I agree completely.

Even the hundreds of primary reports filed from that bridge do not make it historic.

Sadly, it is almost as if the remaining Storrs spans have been targeted for removal.

Re: Bridge Comment
Posted May 22, 2016

Yes - It is a tensile loadpath intended augment the stringers.

The lack of sufficient freeboard for such, is likely why the system is missing from the other span.

[Respond]
Jericho Covered Bridge 20-03-01 / 20-12-01 (Maryland)
Posted April 22, 2016

A re-dedication is planned for this coming Monday.

This very funky Burr has a bit of an unusual story behind it, those with interest in wooden spans may wish to click in > https://bridgewright.wordpress.com/2015/08/31/the-curiosity-...

[Respond]
Roley School House Covered Bridge 35-23-49 (Ohio)
Posted April 3, 2016

Heavily damaged in a high wind event 4.02.16

Photo gallery > http://goo.gl/25W2I1

[Respond]
Abner Creek Covered Bridge (South Carolina)
Posted March 29, 2016

Not historic, not a truss, I don't even consider it a covered bridge.

It's a decoration dragging down the stringers holding it up.

[Respond]
B&M - Penacook Upper Covered Bridge (New Hampshire)
Posted March 20, 2016

Lots of layers to this onionskin, the spot is/was ripe with bridges, both RR and highway, with a succession of losses to highwater. The highway bridges were often owned/built by two different jurisdictions with the town line running down the middle of the island. Losses and replacement were not always concurrent - No pun intended.

Wooden RR spans were sometimes saved by leaving loaded cars in them in anticipation.