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List of covered bridges in Kentucky facts for kids

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Have you ever seen a bridge with a roof and walls? These are called covered bridges! They are super cool old bridges that look like long, wooden tunnels. Long ago, there were hundreds of these special bridges all over Kentucky. Today, only eleven of these amazing, historic bridges are still standing in the U.S. state of Kentucky.

What makes a covered bridge "authentic"? It's not just how old it is! It's about how it was built. Real covered bridges use a special strong structure called a truss system. This makes them different from other bridges that might just use simple beams. The roof and walls protect the wooden parts of the bridge from rain and snow, helping them last a very long time!

Kentucky's Historic Covered Bridges

Bridges You Can Still See Today

Here are the eleven covered bridges you can still find in Kentucky today. Each one has a unique story!

Name Image County Built Length Crosses Notes
Bennett's Mill Covered Bridge Bennett's Mill Covered Bridge Greenup ca. 1855, rebuilt 2004 145 feet (44 m) Tygarts Creek This bridge uses a special "Warren truss" design.
Cabin Creek Covered Bridge Cabin Creek Covered Bridge Lewis ca. 1867 114 feet (35 m) Cabin Creek It's also known by other names like C.F. Ferguson Farm or Mackey Covered Bridge.
Colville Covered Bridge Colville Covered Bridge Bourbon 1877, rebuilt 2002 120 feet (37 m) Hinkston Creek This bridge uses a "multiple king post" truss, which means it has several strong vertical supports.
Goddard Bridge Goddard Bridge Fleming 1864, repaired 1933 60 feet (18 m) Sand Lick Creek Sometimes called the White Bridge. It features a "Town lattice" truss, which looks like a criss-cross pattern.
Hillsboro Covered Bridge Hillsboro Covered Bridge Fleming ca. 1865 80 feet (24 m) Fox Creek This bridge is also known as Grange City Covered Bridge.
Johnson Creek Covered Bridge Johnson Creek Covered Bridge Robertson 1874 110 feet (34 m) Blue Lick Springs It uses a "Smith truss" design, named after its inventor.
Lee's Creek Covered Bridge Lee's Creek Covered Bridge Mason 1835 60 feet (18 m) Lee's Creek This bridge is also called Dover Covered Bridge. It has a "Queen post" truss, which is a simple and strong design.
Oldtown Covered Bridge Oldtown Covered Bridge Greenup 1850-1874, rebuilt 1999 190 feet (58 m) Frazer Branch, Little Sandy Creek This is one of the longer covered bridges in Kentucky.
Ringos Mill Covered Bridge RingosMill.jpg Fleming 1867 86 feet (26 m) Fox Creek It's a great example of a "multiple king post" truss bridge.
Switzer Covered Bridge Switzer CB P6170422.jpg Franklin 1855, rebuilt 1998 120 feet (37 m) North Fork, Elkhorn Creek This bridge uses a "Howe truss," which is a common design for covered bridges.
Walcott Covered Bridge WalcottCoveredBridge.jpg Bracken ca. 1880, rebuilt 2001 76 feet (23 m) Locust Creek This bridge is privately owned. It combines "Queen post" and "multiple king post" truss designs.

Bridges That Are No Longer Here

Sadly, some covered bridges in Kentucky have been lost over time. Here are a couple of examples:

Name Image County Built – Lost Length Crosses Notes
Mount Zion Covered Bridge Mount Zion Covered Bridge Washington 1871–2021 258 feet (79 m) Beech Fork Also called Beech Fork Covered Bridge. This bridge was sadly lost due to a fire in March 2021.
Valley Pike Covered Bridge Valley Pike Covered Bridge Mason 1864 35 feet (11 m) Lee's Creek Also known as Bouldin or Daugherty Covered Bridge. This bridge was taken apart in April 2018.

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List of covered bridges in Kentucky Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.