Union Covered Bridge State Historic Site
| Union Covered Bridge | |||
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| National Register of Historic Places | |||
 Union Covered Bridge in 2011 from the southeast |
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| location | Monroe County in Missouri (USA) | ||
| Coordinates | 39 ° 25 '58 " N , 92 ° 6' 9" W | ||
| Built | 1870 | ||
| NRHP number | 70000342 | ||
| The NRHP added | 1970 | ||
The Union Covered Bridge State Historic Site is a state park in Monroe County of the US state of Missouri . After two failures with uncovered bridges, the Monroe County Court commissioned two covered bridges over the Elk Fork and the North Fork of the Salt River for $ 5,000 in 1870 .
History, dates and description
Joseph C. Elliot provided the blueprints for the Union Covered Bridge, which is the only one to have survived in the Burr Arch framework according to Theodore Burr in Missouri. The other three preserved covered bridges were designed by William Howe in the Howe Truss design. The tree trunks of the bridge are made of local oak. The battens for the side walls and the wooden shingles for the roof are handmade. The wooden bridge is 120 feet long, 17.5 feet wide and 12 feet high, so it met the requirements for the clearance of a loaded hay wagon .
The advantage of a covered bridge over an uncovered bridge is that it is weatherproof. In the summer climate there is a risk of rot , while in winter there is a risk of black ice and frost damage. In addition, the construction improves the statics. The closed side walls were a relief for the cattle drive, because the animals were less nervous when they could not see the river below. The side walls were also used as stop surfaces to attach advertising posters to, or to write on or paint on. Over the years, many wooden bridges have been replaced by metal bridges, which are more stable and less susceptible to weathering.
The Union Covered Bridge has weathered floods , fires and signs of decay on several occasions. In the late 1960s their condition was already alarming, but the Missouri State Park Board was authorized in 1968 to look after the bridges that were still left at the time, their restoration and their maintenance. The wooden bridge was partially restored with the remains of the Mexican Covered Bridge . This fifth covered bridge in Missouri fell victim to a flood shortly after the decision to rescue it.
Two years later, in 1970, the Union Covered Bridge was closed to motor vehicle traffic after trucks damaged the bridge structure. Also in 1970 the Union Covered Bridge was officially entered on the National Register of Historic Places . During a second restoration in 1988, rotten beams, crooked side parts and the repair of connecting elements were replaced.
The covered bridge was named after a nearby Union Church . For almost 100 years it served as an important traffic structure and also as a landmark , makeshift barn and billboard. In the 21st century, the historic site is a witness to history, a destination and a wedding venue.
Web links
- General information about the State Union Bridge
- The bridge on www.youtube.com (1:33 min.)