COVERED BRIDGE

Bridges were not covered to protect the traveler, but rather to protect the timbers and planking of the bridge itself, and to keep water out of the joints. Covered bridges were also believed to have the effect of tricking horses and oxen into thinking they were entering a barn, which kept them from panicking at the sight of rushing water. Our bridge is patterned after Ithiel Town's "lattice truss" developed in 1819. His bridges, made from short lengths of cross-timber, achieved tremendous bearing power. Key advantages of this design were its strength, mechanical simplicity, and the fact that it could be built from any timber of relatively small size.