Johnson Creek Covered Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Johnson Creek Covered Bridge
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Under renovation in 2007
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 Location in Kentucky
Location in the United States
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| Location | 4.0 miles north of Blue Licks Battlefield State Park |
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| Built | 1874 |
| Architectural style | Smith "Type 3" truss |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000941 |
| Added to NRHP | September 27, 1976 |
The Johnson Creek Covered Bridge is a special old bridge in Robertson County, Kentucky. It's about four miles north of Blue Licks Battlefield State Park. This bridge is currently closed to cars and trucks.
It's very important because it's the only known bridge in Kentucky that uses a special design called the Robert Smith truss system. It's also the only covered bridge still standing that was built by Jacob N. Bower, who lived from 1819 to 1906.
Building the Johnson Creek Bridge
The Johnson Creek Covered Bridge was built in 1874. Back then, Kentucky had over 400 covered bridges. Today, only thirteen of them remain, and this one is among them!
Around 1912, Jacob Bower's son, Louis, added a strong arch on each side of the bridge. This was done to help the bridge support more cars and trucks as traffic grew.
Louis Bower, who was Jacob Bower's grandson, was also a bridge builder in the area. He said the bridge is 114 feet long and 16 feet wide. That's about the length of two school buses!
Why Bridges Were Covered
You might wonder why some old bridges have a roof and sides. People often think it was for looks or to protect travelers from bad weather. However, the main reason was to keep the bridge strong and safe.
The cover protected the wooden parts of the bridge, like the trusses and braces. This helped the wood dry out properly and kept rain and snow from getting into the joints. Keeping the wood dry and protected made the bridges last much, much longer. A covered bridge could last seven to eight times longer than one left uncovered!
