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Bunker Hill Covered Bridge
Society
Main Category
Sub Category
Era
Date Created
Location Country
us
Coordinates
35.721515, -81.115226
Address1
Lyle Creek
City
Catawba County
State
Country

In 1894, Catawba County, North Carolina commissioners asked local landowners to build and maintain an 85-foot-long bridge across Lyles Creek. The community hired Andy L. Ramsour, who served as keeper of the Horseford covered bridge over the Catawba River in Hickory, North Carolina.

Ramsour chose General Herman Haupt's 1839 patented "Improved Lattice Truss" design. The distinction of Haupt's design was his incorporation of vertical supports pinned to each of the diagonal bridge timbers.  The oak bridge was fastened with wooden pins, or trunnels, also made of oak. Although built as an open span structure, it was covered five years later with wooden shingles. The shingles were replaced with tin in 1921.

The Bunker Hill Bridge is one of only two remaining covered bridges in North Carolina and is the world's sole remaining example of a Haupt truss design.

Resources
  1. Catawba County Historical Association
  2. Pennsylvania Roots  
Image Credit
Public Domain (National Park Service)
Image Caption
Bunker Hill Covered Bridge

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