Recent Updates
Monebrake Road Bridge (Preble County, Ohio)
Warren pony truss bridge over Seven Mile Creek on Monebrake RoadJuly 16, 2019: Updated by Will Truax: Updated future prospects status.
Black Covered Bridge 35-09-03 (Butler County, Ohio)
Covered bridge over Four Mile Creek on Corso Road, north of OxfordJuly 9, 2019: Updated by Will Truax: Corrested truss type
Knowlton Covered Bridge 35-56-18 (Monroe County, Ohio)
Three-span covered bridge over Little Muskingum River on CR 387AJuly 6, 2019: Updated by Will Truax: Corrected truss type
Salem Bridge (Salem County, New Jersey)
Lost Covered Bridge in SalemJanuary 19, 2019: Updated by Will Truax: Confirmed and added the bridge's name, Truss Type, Builders name, build and replacement dates.
Bridgeport Covered Bridge 05-29-01 (Nevada County, California)
Covered bridge over South Fork Yuba River on Pleasant Valley Road in South Yuba State ParkDecember 31, 2018: Updated by Will Truax: Corrected Truss Type.
Utica Mills Covered Bridge (Frederick County, Maryland)
Burr Arch through truss bridge over Fishing Creek on Utica RoadDecember 27, 2018: Updated by Will Truax: Corrected Truss Type and description and added WG#
Schuylkill Permanent Bridge (Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania)
Lost Through truss bridge over Schuylkill River on Market StreetNovember 24, 2017: Updated by Will Truax: Confirmed and corrected status.
Wachusett Aqueduct Bridge (Worcester County, Massachusetts)
Stone arch bridge over Assabet River & Hudson Street on Wachusett Aqueduct in NorthboroughOctober 18, 2017: New photos
Moose Brook Bridge (Coos County, New Hampshire)
Howe pony truss bridge over Moose Brook on Former Boston & Maine/St. Lawrence & AtlanticOctober 7, 2017: Updated by Will Truax: Opened edit to add a video and instead added year of loss to arson
Basil Covered Bridge 35-23-26x (Fairfield County, Ohio)
Lost Multiple Kingpost through truss bridge over Walnut Creek on Basil RoadSeptember 16, 2017: Updated by Will Truax: Confirmed and corrected status.
Cedar Covered Bridge (2004) (Madison County, Iowa)
Reconstructed covered bridge over Cedar Creek on Cedar Bridge RoadApril 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 RoadApril 15, 2017: Updated by Will Truax: Changed status - Lost to arson yet again 15 April 2017
Cooper Iron Bridge (Putnam County, Indiana)
Pratt through truss bridge over Deer Creek on CR 25 EastMarch 18, 2017: Updated by Will Truax: Updated status
John E. Cox Bridge (Middlesex County, Massachusetts)
Through truss bridge over Merrimack River on Bridge Street in LowellFebruary 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 UnionJanuary 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 UnionJanuary 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 1029November 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 0980July 15, 2016: Updated by Will Truax: Added Truss type
Smith Millennium Bridge 29-05-10#2 (Grafton County, New Hampshire)
Covered bridge over Baker River on Smith Bridge Road in PlymouthJanuary 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 RoadAugust 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 RoadJuly 13, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Corrected Truss Type
Bath Bridge 29-05-03 (Grafton County, New Hampshire)
Covered bridge over Ammonoosuc River on West Bath Road in BathMay 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 StreetMay 15, 2015: New photo
Vance Creek Viaduct (Mason County, Washington)
Massive steel arch bridge over Vance Creek on Simpson RailroadApril 26, 2015: New video
Amoskeag Bridge (Hillsborough County, New Hampshire)
Lost Lattice through truss bridge over Merrimack River on Bridge StreetApril 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 CharlestownApril 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-275March 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 StreetMarch 31, 2015: Added
McGregor Bridge (Hillsborough County, New Hampshire)
Lost Lenticular Truss Bridge over Merrimack River on Bridge StreetMarch 29, 2015: New photo
Baker River Bridge (Grafton County, New Hampshire)
Bypassed through truss bridge over Baker River on Wentworth Village Road in WentworthMarch 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 StreetMarch 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 HamletFebruary 19, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Corrected overview
Scipio Covered Bridge 14-40-01 (Jennings County, Indiana)
Covered bridge over Sand Creek on CR 575WFebruary 19, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Added builder
McGregor Bridge (Hillsborough County, New Hampshire)
Lost Lenticular Truss Bridge over Merrimack River on Bridge StreetJanuary 31, 2015: New photo
Arlington Memorial Bridge (Washington, District of Columbia)
Bascule bridge with concrete arch approaches over Potomac River on Memorial AvenueJanuary 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 DarlingtonJanuary 25, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Added Smith Co. and named local contractors garnered from National Register papers
Johnson's Mill Covered Bridge 38-36-35x (Lancaster County, Pennsylvania)
Lost Burr arch-truss bridge over Chiques Creek on Marietta AvenueJanuary 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 StreetJanuary 17, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Added contract price
McGregor Bridge (Hillsborough County, New Hampshire)
Lost Lenticular Truss Bridge over Merrimack River on Bridge StreetJanuary 17, 2015: New photo
McGregor Bridge (Hillsborough County, New Hampshire)
Lost Lenticular Truss Bridge over Merrimack River on Bridge StreetJanuary 16, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Fixed typo
McGregor Bridge (Hillsborough County, New Hampshire)
Lost Lenticular Truss Bridge over Merrimack River on Bridge StreetJanuary 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 & 202January 4, 2015: Updated by Will Truax: Corretcted multiple errors repeated from the HABS report
Recent Comments
Posted May 23, 2020
Swung by the Purdon again the other day because I’d heard it was scheduled to be closed for the coming month to allow for repairs.
I was both curious about what was in need of repair and to learn a little about the resume of whatever entity was chosen and contracted to execute them.
Though it was a few days into the scheduled closure no one had yet mobilized.
Posted October 20, 2019
Most definitely not a Howe.
Posted September 11, 2019
No George, I cannot and do not agree.
For all the reasons I already spoke to on this DSCB thread in earlier discussion.
I've worked enough of these rehabs to know that a design team that chooses to know and understand these bridges can easily achieve a weight limit carrying capacity their clearance capacity might demand without a systems replacement that turns a though truss into a caricature of itself. A mere decoration that staddles a stringer bridge with a load rating far in excess of anything that will ever fit through it.
Such absurdities are why the new "Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Covered Bridges" were put to paper and made available for download in the cyber-sphere -
https://www.nps.gov/hdp/CoveredBridgeGuidelines2019.pdf
Posted September 10, 2019
A bit more of a direct route to Dela's story, this kid is my hero for the day!
https://www.mynbc5.com/article/4-year-old-makes-sign-to-warn...
Posted September 10, 2019
The needle is threaded! The Bailey Bridge which will serve as shoring to relax Bridgeport's Trusses to allow repair and replacement of compromised sections of timber during the rehab process has been emplaced >
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/omkach0ga75mrow/AADD5U_-qZtf9_QJZ...
Posted July 6, 2019
It was the middle span that was lost, my guess is that is about long missing siding.
Posted June 13, 2019
I saw it when it was in storage, (we stowed the parts of the east span of the Bell Ford across the aisle) if memory serves it wasn't stacked all that well but it was certainly in the dry there in the Turkey Barn.
Any loss to rot would've had to have happened before it was dismantled and put into storage.
Posted April 29, 2019
Though in this record this bridge holds a differing name, stats in the record and the like appearance of the windows and the piers suggest they are one and the same.
This closer image also includes a panel-plus long section of Truss-Work Framing, enough to suggest type.
https://dmr.bsu.edu/digital/collection/BrackenFamP/id/705/
Posted January 19, 2019
1831
I did a little digging and found the name and the builder's name and edited the entry accordingly.
An overview (and better images) can be found here > see pg's 20 & 21 > http://tiny.cc/85qj2y
I'm surprised the Bridgewright wasn't already represented here on the database in that he, like his son, had a long prolific career including multiple Railroad Bridges.
Posted January 10, 2019
George, I spent a fair amount of time in your area while engaged in a preservation project on the Bertolet Saw Mill at the Daniel Boone Homestead, (I also spent seven months just over the MD line on a bridge restoration) in that time I familiarized myself with many Berks Bridges, including this one and others that have already been PennDOT'd.
Beyond the loss of the rare example Berks County typology Lower Lats, my secondary issues with this tact are that on other bridges where both the Abutments are replaced and the bridge is steel-stringerized, the workmanship on needed repairs to the truss framing tends to be poorly executed. (Look to Pine Grove none so far to the south as an example) On top of those concerns the added costs and much higher totals of this systems replacement approach adds to the sense for many that bridge rehabs are overly expensive.
It is the more harm than good finished product that concerns me.
Posted January 9, 2019
George, I wasn't being quite so literal.
They have been driving this approach for six decades now, That being the case I routinely transmute the agencies name into a verb as a bit of word-play in describing the steel-stringerization of wooden bridges
Posted January 9, 2019
No they won't be "Saving as much of the original wood as possible" They will be PennDOT'ing it with their go-to Steel-Stringerization.
A needless sixty year failed experiment, (some bridges are now on their third set of steel decks & stringers) which is almost an absurdity. Ask a systems knowledgeable engineer to design rehab of a framed wooden floor system and you'll get a 10-ton rating, ask one who is not knowledgeable about such framing and they'll tell you it can't be done, and that a structural system which has carried traffic for a century and a half (this coming summer) needs to be replaced.
It's particularly sad in this instance being that there is a hyper-regional variation of interwoven Lower Lateral Bracing unique to Berks County and this rehab will eliminate yet one more of these rare examples from our shared Transportation Heritage.
Posted December 3, 2017
Posted November 24, 2017
Source material which cites the Permanant Bridge as being "Remodelled" in 1850
Proceedings of the Engineers' Club of Philadelphia, Volume 34 Published in 1917
http://tiny.cc/ivu3oy
Posted November 21, 2017
I shared Palmer's own words on the permanence of impermanence in this blog entry - https://bridgewright.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/at-the-beginni...
And this bridge was not lost to fire, it was removed for the rise of its arches being inappropriate for the railway its replacement would share with highway traffic.