|
The
builders of the Monroe County covered bridges were Joseph C.
Elliott and his son William B. Elliott.
-
Stoutsville
Covered Bridge 1856-1857
-
Paris
Covered Bridge 1857
-
Mexico
Covered Bridge 1858-1859
-
Santa
Fe Covered Bridge 1859
-
Union
Covered Bridge 1870-1871
Covered
bridge have almost become symbolic of early America even
though the first structure of this type was erected across the
Euphrates River in Babylon in 783 B. C. The American covered
bridges were built on a scale never attempted in any other
country; some were more than a mile in length.
The
first bridge patent was issued January 21, 1787. The covered
bridge period never picked up momentum until the early 19th
century. It is believed by many historians, that the first
covered bridge in America was erected in 1804-1806 over the
Schuylkill River at Philadelphia, Pa. However, this fact has
not been definitely confirmed.
Distinguished
pioneer builders of covered bridges were Ithiel Town, William
Howe and Theodore Burr. Many builders passed their secrets
along to their sons thus retaining a family identity as
builders of bridges. Some had elaborate patented engineering
plans while other built by Gosh and by Golly. Most of the
early bridges were constructed with wooden pegs and hand cut
square iron nails. On a typical 100 foot bridge more than 5500
holes had to be bored for the two-inch pegs used to join the
boards together. Many covered bridges have been traced to
Theodore Burr, resulting in his being called the Father of
American Covered Bridges. Although crude in structure, the
covered bridge was an excellent example of early American
craftmanship.
Robert
Fletcher, former dean of engineering at Dartmouth College,
said most covered bridges violated nearly every law of
engineering, yet somehow managed to carry astonishing loads of
generations.
Henry
Ford who nourished a vast nostalgia for early Americana, once
bought a a Pennsylvania covered bridge and transplanted it,
trusses, floor and roof, to his famed Greenfield village at
Dearborn, Michigan. One flaw was quite apparent, the bridge
lacked a river to give it the traditional scenic effect. Ford
promptly ordered a river to be dug and the scene was soon
complete with a river flowing under the bridge.
In
the early days the covered bridge era there were record to
show that the bridges were used as community meeting places,
pavilions for dances and emergency shelter from the sudden
storms. Of course each was know as the "Kissing
Bridge" for obvious reasons.
|
