Photos
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State historical marker One can discern from the text that the marker was placed before the bridge was bypassed and retired. A temporary bypass bridge was built 1987 and the permanent bypass bridge was constructed in 1991. Photo taken by J.R. Manning in October 2007 |
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Oblique view - west side From the HEAR website: "Significance: The Barrackville Covered Bridge was built in 1853 as part of the Fairmont & Wheeling Turnpike. It is architecturally significant as an outstanding example of a Burr arch-truss, a system patented by Theodore Burr in 1817. It is one of three surviving examples of the work of Lemuel Chenowith, a prolific West Virginia builder. // Built as part of Virginia's network of turnpikes linking the Tidewater to the Trans-Allegheny regions, this example of the Burr truss demonstrates the high level of craftsmanship and knowledge of contemporary engineering design that went into many covered bridges." Photo taken by J.R. Manning in October 2007 |
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The south portal The red paint appears to be recent. A color photograph taken between 2002-2005 shows the color of the bridge as white. Photo taken by J.R. Manning in October 2007 |
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Oblique view - east side Photo taken by J.R. Manning in October 2007 |
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The east side Photo taken by J.R. Manning in October 2007 |
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The deck and truss structure Photo taken by J.R. Manning in October 2007 |
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Truss - east side Photo taken by J.R. Manning in October 2007 |
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Truss - west side Photo taken by J.R. Manning in October 2007 |
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Truss - west side Photo taken by J.R. Manning in October 2007 |
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Overhead Photo taken by J.R. Manning in October 2007 |
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The north portal Photo taken by J.R. Manning in October 2007 |
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Oblique view - east side looking south Photo taken by J.R. Manning in October 2007 |
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The north abutment Photo taken by J.R. Manning in October 2007 |
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The south abutment Photo taken by J.R. Manning in October 2007 |
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Modern Bypass Prof. Kevin Patrick, of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, says that when a straight road curves slightly, crosses a bridge, then returns to the original alignment, the bridge is a replacement, built next to its predecessor that is usually demolished. That observation is true here, except that the original bridge is extant. Photo taken by J.R. Manning in October 2007 |
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HAER Color Transparency Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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William E. Barrett, Photographer, November 1972. General View Looking West Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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William E. Barrett, Photographer, November 1972. Three-Fourths View Looking Southeast Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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William E. Barrett, Photographer, November 1972. South Portal Looking North The sidewalk was added in 1934 and removed during a rehabilitation project in 1999. In that same project, the windows were removed and a steel roof was added. Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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William E. Barrett, Photographer, November 1972. Detail: Connection Of Vertical To Arch Ribs Below Deck Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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William E. Barrett, Photographer, November 1972. Detail: Joint Between Truss And Abutment Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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William E. Barrett, Photographer, 1978. 220 Portrait From Hill And Including Rr Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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William E. Barrett, Photographer, 1978. 120 Angle Broadside View, Including Little Windows Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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William E. Barrett, Photographer, 1978. 15 Abutment Detail Under Bridge, Rr Side Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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William E. Barrett, Photographer, 1978. Interior, Truss Detail And Area Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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Contextual View From South, Looking North. Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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South Portal. Note Projecting Pediment And Pilaster Molding On Outer Face Of Endpost. Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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Perspective, Looking West. Bridge Clad In Clapboard Siding To About 2&Aelig; Below The Eaves. Standing-Seam Metal Roofing Covers Gable Roof. Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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North Portal. Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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Perspective, East Elevation, Looking Southsouthwest. Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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Perspective, From Northwest. Note How Arch Springs From Stone Skewbacks On Facewall Of Abutments. Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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Panorama. Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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Panorama. Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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Panorama. Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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North Abutment. Note Railroad Stiffeners, Trunnels, And Diagonal Floor Beams With Diagonal Flooring. Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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Detail, Base Of Arch. Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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Center Bearing, Center Of Arch, East Panel. Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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View South Interior. Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
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Panel Detail, Northwest Corner. Photo taken by Historic American Engineering Record |
Facts
- Overview
- Burr arch-truss bridge over Finch's Run on CH 21
- Location
- Barrackville, Marion County, West Virginia
- Status
- Open to pedestrians
- History
- Built in 1853 by Eli & Lemuel Chenoweth; Bypassed 1987
- Builders
- - Eli Chenoweth
- Lemuel Chenoweth
- Design
- "The Barrackville Covered Bridge is a single-span modified Burr arch truss wooden covered bridge on a drylaid sandstone abutment. The total length of the truss is 146'-3" with a clear span length of 131'-8". The truss is 11'-8" high center-to-center of the chords and 17'-11" wide center-to-center of the trusses, with a roadway width of 15'-6". Clapboard siding covers the exterior, and standing-seam metal roofing covers the gable roof.
"The bridge is poplar and oak framed in the manner patented by Theodore Burr in 1817. The principal structural components are a pair of hewn timber segmented arches framed into and around a pair of multiple kingpost trusses to create an indeterminate composite timber structure.
"Built as part of Virginia's network of turnpikes linking the Tidewater to the Trans-Allegheny regions, this example of the Burr truss demonstrates the high level of craftsmanship and knowledge of contemporary engineering design that went into many covered bridges."
-- Dennis M. Zembala, Historical American Engineering Record, 1995 - Dimensions
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Length of largest span: 132 ft.
Total length: 146 ft.
Deck width: 15.5 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 11.8 ft.
- Recognition
- Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on March 30, 1973
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +39.50700, -80.16800 (decimal degrees)
39°30'25" N, 80°10'05" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 17/571527/4373371 (zone/easting/northing)
- USGS topographic map
- Grant Town
- Inventory numbers
- NRHP 73001921 (National Register of Historic Places reference number)
BH 36243 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Update Log
- August 9, 2008: Updated by J.R. Manning
- August 1, 2008: New photos from J.R. Manning
- February 10, 2008: Added by J.R. Manning
Sources
- J.R. Manning - thekitchenguy [at] sbcglobal [dot] net
- HAER WV-8 - Barrackville Covered Bridge, Spanning Buffalo Creek on Pike Street , Barrackville, Marion County, WV