Our Covered Bridges
According to The Covered Bridges of Ohio: An Atlas and History by Miriam Wood (1993, Table A-2), Fairfield County at one time had 279 covered bridges – the most timber truss bridges of any Ohio county. Fairfield County Parks now owns six of the remaining bridges. Of those, one is in storage. Take our Historical Bridges Road Trip to visit those five covered bridges plus the unique WPA Pedestrian Bridge.
Hannaway Covered Bridge
Other Names: Hanaway Covered Bridge; Clearport Covered Bridge
Bridge Number: 35-23-15
GPS Coordinates: N39 37.106 W82 40.828
Location: Two Glaciers Park
7636 Clearcreek Rd SW; Lancaster | Madison Township | MAP
The park’s main entrance is at the address above, however, this bridge is seen from Clearport Rd SW
Original Location: Yes
Builder: James W Buchanan
Read more about the history of Hannaway Covered Bridge
Hannaway Covered Bridge
Hannaway Covered Bridge
Hannaway Covered Bridge
Other Names: Hanaway Covered Bridge; Clearport Covered Bridge
Bridge Number: 35-23-15
GPS Coordinates: N39 37.106 W82 40.828
Location: Two Glaciers Park
7636 Clearcreek Rd SW; Lancaster | Madison Township | MAP
The park’s main entrance is at the address above, however, this bridge is seen from Clearport Rd SW
Original Location: Yes
Builder: James W Buchanan
Read more about the history of Hannaway Covered Bridge
Hartman No 2 Covered Bridge
Other Names: Lockville Park Covered Bridge
Bridge Number: 35-23-38
GPS Coordinates: N39.81781 W82.737099
Location: Lockville Canal Park
5895 Pickerington Rd; Carroll | Bloom Township | MAP
Original Location: No
Builder: William Funk or Jacob R ‘Blue Jeans’ Brandt
Read more about the history of Hartman No 2 Covered Bridge
Hartman No 2 Covered Bridge
Hartman No 2 Covered Bridge
Hartman No 2 Covered Bridge
Other Names: Lockville Park Covered Bridge
Bridge Number: 35-23-38
GPS Coordinates: N39.81781 W82.737099
Location: Lockville Canal Park
5895 Pickerington Rd; Carroll | Bloom Township | MAP
Original Location: No
Builder: William Funk or Jacob R ‘Blue Jeans’ Brandt
Read more about the history of Hartman No 2 Covered Bridge
Johnson Covered Bridge
Other Names: Johnston Covered Bridge; Terry Mill Covered Bridge
Bridge Number: 35-23-16
GPS Coordinates: N39 36.806 W82 39.528
Location: Two Glaciers Park
7636 Clearport Rd SW; Lancaster | Madison Township | MAP
Original Location: Yes
Builder: August Borneman and Hocking Valley Bridge Works
Read more about the history of Johnson Covered Bridge
Johnson Covered Bridge
Johnson Covered Bridge
Johnson Covered Bridge
Other Names: Johnston Covered Bridge; Terry Mill Covered Bridge
Bridge Number: 35-23-16
GPS Coordinates: N39 36.806 W82 39.528
Location: Two Glaciers Park
7636 Clearport Rd SW; Lancaster | Madison Township | MAP
Original Location: Yes
Builder: August Borneman and Hocking Valley Bridge Works
Read more about the history of Johnson Covered Bridge
Mink Hollow Covered Bridge
Other Names*: Oil Mill Hollow Covered Bridge
Bridge Number: 35-23-43
GPS Coordinates: N39 38.329 W82 39.000
Location: Arney Run Park
2340 Meister Rd SW; Lancaster | Hocking Township | MAP
Original Location:
Builder: Jacob R ‘Blue Jeans’ Brandt
Read more about the history of Mink Hollow Covered Bridge
Mink Hollow Covered Bridge
Mink Hollow Covered Bridge
Mink Hollow Covered Bridge
Other Names*: Oil Mill Hollow Covered Bridge
Bridge Number: 35-23-43
GPS Coordinates: N39 38.329 W82 39.000
Location: Arney Run Park
2340 Meister Rd SW; Lancaster | Hocking Township | MAP
Original Location:
Builder: Jacob R ‘Blue Jeans’ Brandt
Read more about the history of Mink Hollow Covered Bridge
Rock Mill Covered Bridge
Other Names: N/A
Bridge Number: 35-23-48
GPS Coordinates: N39 44.950 W82 42.801
Location: Stebelton Park at Rock Mill
1429 Rockmill Place NW; Lancaster | Bloom/Greenfield Townships | MAP
Original Location: Yes
Builder: Jacob R ‘Blue Jeans’ Brandt
Read more about the history of Rock Mill Covered Bridge
Rock Mill Covered Bridge
Rock Mill Covered Bridge
Rock Mill Covered Bridge
Other Names: N/A
Bridge Number: 35-23-48
GPS Coordinates: N39 44.950 W82 42.801
Location: Stebelton Park at Rock Mill
1429 Rockmill Place NW; Lancaster | Bloom/Greenfield Townships | MAP
Original Location: Yes
Builder: Jacob R ‘Blue Jeans’ Brandt
Read more about the history of Rock Mill Covered Bridge
Roley School Covered Bridge
Other Names: Roley School House Bridge
Bridge Number: 35-23-49
GPS Coordinates: N/A
Location: To Be Determined
Lancaster
Original Location: No. In Storage, to be rebuilt.
Builder: James W Buchanan
Read more about the history of Roley School Covered Bridge
Roley School Covered Bridge
Roley School Covered Bridge
Roley School Covered Bridge
Other Names: Roley School House Bridge
Bridge Number: 35-23-49
GPS Coordinates: N/A
Location: To Be Determined
Lancaster
Original Location: No. In Storage, to be rebuilt.
Builder: James W Buchanan
Read more about the history of Roley School Covered Bridge
Other Bridges of Interest
WPA Pedestrian Bridge
Other Names: Salt Creek Pedestrian Bridge
Bridge Number: 35-64-84
GPS Coordinates:
Location: Cross Mound Park
11615 16th Rd SW; Stoutsville | Clearcreek Township | MAP
Original Location: Yes
Builder: WPA (Works Progress Administration)
Read more about the history of WPA Pedestrian Bridge
WPA Pedestrian Bridge
Other Bridges of Interest
WPA Pedestrian Bridge
WPA Pedestrian Bridge
Other Names: Salt Creek Pedestrian Bridge
Bridge Number: 35-64-84
GPS Coordinates:
Location: Cross Mound Park
11615 16th Rd SW; Stoutsville | Clearcreek Township | MAP
Original Location: Yes
Builder: WPA (Works Progress Administration)
Read more about the history of WPA Pedestrian Bridge
Historical Bridges Road Trip
Historical Bridges Road Trip will take you through scenic areas of Fairfield County to the following locations:
- Mink Hollow Covered Bridge
- Johnson Covered Bridge
- Hannaway Covered Bridge
- WPA Pedestrian Bridge
- Hartman No 2 Covered Bridge
- Rock Mill Covered Bridge
See the detailed Historical Bridges Road Trip on your phone or computer.
About Covered Bridges
Why Covered Bridges are Covered
Some animals balk at crossing bridges when seeing rushing water below. Many think bridges were covered to help people get their horses to cross. The real reason covered bridges are covered is that a wood bridge would probably not last ten years if exposed to the elements.
Covered bridges were designed to carry pedestrians, riders on horseback, horse-drawn vehicles, and the rare horseless carriages – all slow moving vehicles. Originally they were built without windows; the sides were solid. Many roads ran parallel to waterways. So to cross the water there was usually a sharp curve on at least one end of a bridge. When people were traveling in horse-drawn vehicles or on horseback, an oncoming vehicle could be easily seen and heard. Fast-moving automobile traffic led to many head-on collisions because drivers could not see or hear another vehicle that was already in or approaching a bridge. In the 1930s, windows were added for visibility to avoid accidents.
Numbering System
In 1940 John Diehl from Cincinnati devised a numbering system to identify covered bridges. The first number represents the State, numbered alphabetically; Ohio is 35. The second number represents the county, again, numbered alphabetically; Fairfield County is 23. The third number represents the number assigned to the bridge by the Ohio Covered Bridge Committee.
Ohio Bridges
By the 1890s, Fairfield County records refereed to covered bridges as ‘house bridges’. This may have been because they did resemble little houses.
At one time Fairfield County had over 270 wood truss bridges on highways, canals and railroads. By 1953, only 43 were still standing. As of 2007, only Pennsylvania had more still-standing covered bridges – 222. Ohio was in second place with 141. A more recent report puts those number at Pennsylvania 215 and Ohio 148. Perhaps some bridges were missed during the 2007 counting. Even today it is difficult to accurately count the number because many have been moved to private properties.
The National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges website provides a link to “Ohio Covered Bridge List“. Some of the information on it regarding the bridges maintained by Fairfield County Parks is incorrect. Corrections have been submitted.
References
National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges
http://www.coveredbridgesociety.org/trusses.html
Diagrams of truss types
Ohio.gov
http://ohio.gov/government/
Wood Guide to Covered Bridges
by National Center for Wood Transportation Structures
http://www.woodcenter.org/
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