Harra Covered Bridge facts for kids
The Harra Covered Bridge is a really old and cool wooden bridge in Washington County, Ohio, United States. It's located in a quiet area called Watertown Township, a couple of miles north of Watertown. This special bridge crosses the South Branch of Wolf Creek. It's known for its strong stone foundations, metal roof, and vertical wooden sides. Even though it's over 100 years old, it was still used by cars every day until recently!
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Harra Covered Bridge
|
|
The bridge in April 2010.
|
|
 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
|
|
| Nearest city | Watertown, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Area | 0.9 acres (0.36 ha) |
| Built | 1875 |
| Architect | William Meredith |
| Architectural style | Long truss |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001547 |
| Added to NRHP | October 8, 1976 |
Contents
Building the Harra Covered Bridge
The Harra Covered Bridge was finished in 1875. It was built by a skilled bridge builder named William Meredith from Marietta. He led the whole project.
Who Built It?
One of William Meredith's main workers was a stonemason named Billy Gamble. A stonemason is someone who builds things with stone. Billy Gamble used stones found right there in the local area to build the bridge's strong foundations. These foundations are called abutments.
Where Did the Name Come From?
The stones for the bridge's foundations came from a farm nearby. This farm belonged to a man named James Harrah. The bridge was named after him, but they dropped the last letter of his name. That's how it became the Harra Covered Bridge!
How Was It Designed?
The bridge uses a special design called the Long truss plan. A truss is a framework, usually made of triangles, that helps a bridge be very strong. The Long truss design was invented by an architect named Stephen H. Long. Not many bridges with this exact design are left in Ohio today. The Harra Bridge is one of fewer than ten historic Long truss bridges still standing in the state.
Why the Harra Bridge is Special
The Harra Covered Bridge is important for a few reasons. It's a great example of old bridge building. It also shows us how people lived and traveled a long time ago.
A Historic Landmark
In 1976, the Harra Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of places in the United States that are important to history. The bridge earned its spot on this list because of two main things:
- Its special and historic design (the Long truss).
- Its importance in the history of Ohio.
Even after more than a hundred years, the Harra Covered Bridge is still in great shape. It shows how well it was built!
