Hildreth Covered Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Hildreth Covered Bridge, also known as the "Hills Covered Bridge" or "Lafaber's Mill Bridge," is a historic covered bridge
in Washington County
, Ohio
, United States
. Located off State Route 26 in Newport Township
, about 5 miles (8 km) east of the city of Marietta
, the bridge historically carried Hills Bridge Road over the Little Muskingum River
. Construction of the Hildreth Bridge was a long process: the most significant amount of work was done on the bridge in 1878, but the entire construction process occurred between 1871 and 1881. The identity of its builder is unknown.
One of three covered bridges that span the Little Muskingum, the Hildreth Bridge is a single-span
wooden Howe truss bridge
that rests on abutment
s and piers
of ashlar
. It features structural elements such as a metal roof, vertical siding, and portals with batten
s. Due to its great height above the stream below, the bridge has been seen by locals as one of the most impressive of the region's many covered bridges. In 1978, the Hildreth Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, qualifying both because of its place in local history and because of its historically significant construction.
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...
in Washington County
Washington County, Ohio
Washington County is a county located in the state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 61,778. Its county seat is Marietta. The county, the oldest in the state, is named for George Washington. Washington County is included in the Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, West Virginia-Ohio...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Located off State Route 26 in Newport Township
Newport Township, Washington County, Ohio
Newport Township is one of the twenty-two townships of Washington County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 2,176 people in the township.-Geography:...
, about 5 miles (8 km) east of the city of Marietta
Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
, the bridge historically carried Hills Bridge Road over the Little Muskingum River
Little Muskingum River
The Little Muskingum River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 65 mi long, in southeast Ohio in the United States.It rises in the hill country of Monroe County, approximately 5 mi northwest of the Ohio River and 8 mi southeast of Woodsfield...
. Construction of the Hildreth Bridge was a long process: the most significant amount of work was done on the bridge in 1878, but the entire construction process occurred between 1871 and 1881. The identity of its builder is unknown.
One of three covered bridges that span the Little Muskingum, the Hildreth Bridge is a single-span
Span (architecture)
Span is the distance between two intermediate supports for a structure, e.g. a beam or a bridge.A span can be closed by a solid beam or of a rope...
wooden Howe truss bridge
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
that rests on abutment
Abutment
An abutment is, generally, the point where two structures or objects meet. This word comes from the verb abut, which means adjoin or having common boundary. An abutment is an engineering term that describes a structure located at the ends of a bridge, where the bridge slab adjoins the approaching...
s and piers
Pier (architecture)
In architecture, a pier is an upright support for a superstructure, such as an arch or bridge. Sections of wall between openings function as piers. The simplest cross section of the pier is square, or rectangular, although other shapes are also common, such as the richly articulated piers of Donato...
of ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
. It features structural elements such as a metal roof, vertical siding, and portals with batten
Batten
A batten is a thin strip of solid material, typically made from wood, plastic or metal. Battens are used in building construction and various other fields as both structural and purely cosmetic elements...
s. Due to its great height above the stream below, the bridge has been seen by locals as one of the most impressive of the region's many covered bridges. In 1978, the Hildreth Bridge was 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...
, qualifying both because of its place in local history and because of its historically significant construction.