Grays River Covered Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Grays River Covered Bridge is a one-lane wooden covered bridge
over the Grays River in western Wahkiakum County, Washington. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
and is the only covered bridge
still in use by the public in Washington State. The bridge rests as the centerpiece of the Alhberg Park in Wahkiakum County. The park hosts the Grays River Covered Bridge Festival every two years.
The Grays River Covered Bridge received a major restoration in 1988. In disrepair and at risk of being torn down, the residents of Grays River
and Wahkiakum County, Washington worked to raise funds for restoration. Reconstruction was completed by Dulin Construction of Centralia, Washington
, for a cost of $295,980.00. On September 30, 1989, with the repairs completed, the bridge was rededicated to public use. Author, Granger The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, and Grays River Resident Robert Michael Pyle
served as Master of Ceremonies for the event.
timber bridge with timber decking spans 155.5 feet, is 22.5 feet high (16.75 inside clearance), and 14 feet wide with cedar shingles for the exterior.
Covered bridge
A covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides...
over the Grays River in western Wahkiakum County, Washington. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
and is the only covered bridge
Covered bridge
A covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides...
still in use by the public in Washington State. The bridge rests as the centerpiece of the Alhberg Park in Wahkiakum County. The park hosts the Grays River Covered Bridge Festival every two years.
History
The bridge itself was built in 1905 by dairy farmer Hans P. Ahlberg in order to allow horse and wagon traffic across the river. Ahlberg's farm spanned both sides of the river. Ahlberg contracted with the company 'Ferguson & Huston' of Astoria Oregon who drew up the plans. The bridge was covered three years later, in 1908. The roof of the covered bridge was originally built of "board and batten cedar siding with a capped tin roof" The reason for the covering was to preserve the expensive wooden trusses from the ravages of the area rains.The Grays River Covered Bridge received a major restoration in 1988. In disrepair and at risk of being torn down, the residents of Grays River
Grays River, Washington
Grays River is an unincorporated rural village in Wahkiakum County, Washington, United States.Grays River stands on the north bank of the lower Grays River, which flows into the Columbia River estuary. The National Register of Historic Places-listed Grays River Covered Bridge crosses the Grays...
and Wahkiakum County, Washington worked to raise funds for restoration. Reconstruction was completed by Dulin Construction of Centralia, Washington
Centralia, Washington
Centralia is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 16,336 at the 2010 census.-History:In pioneer days, Centralia was the halfway stopover point for stagecoaches operating between the Columbia River and Seattle. In 1850, J. G. Cochran came from Missouri with his...
, for a cost of $295,980.00. On September 30, 1989, with the repairs completed, the bridge was rededicated to public use. Author, Granger The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, and Grays River Resident Robert Michael Pyle
Robert Michael Pyle
Robert Michael Pyle is a lepidopterist and author who has published twelve books and hundreds of papers, essays, stories and poems. He has a Ph.D. from the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University. He founded the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation in 1974...
served as Master of Ceremonies for the event.
Engineering Specs
The Howe trussTruss
In architecture and structural engineering, a truss is a structure comprising one or more triangular units constructed with straight members whose ends are connected at joints referred to as nodes. External forces and reactions to those forces are considered to act only at the nodes and result in...
timber bridge with timber decking spans 155.5 feet, is 22.5 feet high (16.75 inside clearance), and 14 feet wide with cedar shingles for the exterior.
External links
- http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/WA0299/ Historic American Engineering Record, Library of Congress. Includes 19 B&W photographs and engineering report by Robin Bruce. HAER WA-28, 1991.
- http://www.graysriver.org/articles/71 Grays River Covered Bridge, GraysRiver.Org: More on the story of Grays River and the Covered Bridge.
- http://www.wahkiakumfoundation.org/ahlbergpark.html, Wahkiakum Community Foundation, Ahlberg Park.
- http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&File_Id=8044 Rehabilitation of the Grays River Bridge, HistoryLink.Org