List of covered bridges in Washington facts for kids
Did you know that the state of Washington has five real covered bridges? Even though they are not super old, they are considered "authentic" because of how they are built. An authentic covered bridge uses a special strong design called a truss system. This is different from other bridges that might just use simple beams.
What is a Covered Bridge?
A covered bridge is a special type of bridge that has walls and a roof, just like a house. This covering helps protect the wooden parts of the bridge from rain, snow, and sun. This way, the bridge lasts much longer! The most important part of an authentic covered bridge is its truss system. Trusses are like a strong framework of triangles that help the bridge hold a lot of weight. Many covered bridges in Washington use a design called a Howe truss.
Bridges You Can Still See
Here are the five covered bridges you can still find in Washington today:
Cedar Creek Covered Bridge
This bridge is in Woodland in Clark County. It was built in 1995 and is about 83 feet (25 meters) long. It crosses Cedar Creek and is also known as the Lynch or Grist Mill Covered Bridge.
Grays River Covered Bridge
You can find this bridge in Grays River in Wahkiakum County. It's one of the older covered bridges in Washington, first built in 1905. It has been rebuilt a couple of times, most recently in 1989. This bridge is 158 feet (48 meters) long and crosses the Grays River. It's owned by Wahkiakum County.
Johnson Covered Bridge
The Johnson Covered Bridge is located in Gig Harbor in Pierce County. It was built more recently in 2005. This bridge is 46 feet (14 meters) long and crosses Whiskey Creek.
Little Mountain Covered Bridge
This bridge is in Trout Lake in Klickitat County. It was built in 1987 and is 60 feet (18 meters) long. It crosses the White Salmon River. Sometimes, people call it the Farmgate Homestead or Trout Lake Farm Covered Bridge.
Schafer Farm Bridge
The Schafer Farm Bridge is near Montesano in Grays Harbor County. It was built in 1966 and is 72 feet (22 meters) long. This bridge crosses a lagoon and is privately owned.
Bridges That Are No Longer There
Sometimes, bridges are removed or get damaged. Here is one famous covered bridge that used to be in Washington:
Manning-Rye Covered Bridge
This bridge was in Colfax in Whitman County. It was built around 1918 and was quite long, at 163 feet (50 meters). It crossed the Palouse River and was privately owned. Sadly, this bridge burned down on September 8, 2020. It was also known as the Colfax and Road Covered Bridge.
See also
- List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington (state)
- World Guide to Covered Bridges
