Hildreth Covered Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hildreth Covered Bridge
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Western end of the bridge
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Marietta, Ohio |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1878 |
| Architect | Hocking Valley Bridge Works |
| Architectural style | Howe truss |
| NRHP reference No. | 78002211 |
| Added to NRHP | February 8, 1978 |
The Hildreth Covered Bridge is a special old covered bridge in Washington County, Ohio. People also call it the "Hills Covered Bridge" or "Lafaber's Mill Bridge." It's located near Newport Township, about 5 miles (8 km) east of Marietta. This bridge used to carry Hills Bridge Road over the Little Muskingum River.
Building the Hildreth Bridge took a long time. Most of the work happened in 1878. But the whole project lasted from 1871 to 1881. We don't know who built this particular bridge.
Contents
What is the Hildreth Covered Bridge?
The Hildreth Bridge is one of three covered bridges that cross the Little Muskingum River. It's a single-span wooden bridge. This means it crosses the river in one long section.
How the Bridge Was Built
The bridge uses a special design called a Howe truss. This design helps make the bridge very strong. It sits on sturdy supports made of stone.
Strong Foundations
The bridge rests on strong supports called abutments and piers. Abutments are the parts at each end of the bridge that connect it to the land. Piers are supports in the middle of the river. These supports are made of ashlar, which is stone that has been carefully cut and shaped.
Special Design: Howe Truss
The Howe truss is a type of bridge design. It uses a pattern of wooden beams and metal rods. This pattern helps to spread out the weight and make the bridge very stable. The Hildreth Bridge also has a metal roof to protect the wood. It has vertical wooden siding on its sides. The entrances, called portals, have special wooden strips called battens.
A Historic Landmark
The Hildreth Bridge stands very high above the river. Because of this, many local people think it's one of the most amazing covered bridges around. It's a great example of old bridge building.
In 1978, the Hildreth Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of important places in the United States. It was added because it's important to local history. Its special way of being built also made it famous.
