Covered Bridge

architecture · history · engineering · wood

Weather protection. The roof and siding shield the wooden beams from rain, snow, and sun damage. Without this covering, wooden bridges rot and fall apart in just 20 years.

Long lasting structure. A covered bridge can survive for over 100 years because the wood stays dry and protected inside. That's five times longer than an uncovered wooden bridge.

Rare in America. Most covered bridges didn't survive the 1900s because people replaced them with modern bridges, let them fall into disrepair, or couldn't afford to fix them. Only about 1 out of every 10 made it to today.

Timber truss design. These bridges use a special wooden framework called a truss that's both strong and efficient at carrying weight across long distances.

Expensive to restore. Fixing an old covered bridge costs a lot of money, which is why many were abandoned instead of repaired over time.