Old Blenheim Bridge
Encyclopedia
Old Blenheim Bridge was a wooden covered bridge
that spanned Schoharie Creek
in North Blenheim, New York
. With an open span of 210 feet (64 m), it had the longest span of any surviving covered bridge
in the world; although the structure's total length, made it second in that respect to the Bridgeport Covered Bridge
(233 feet (71 m) long with a 208 feet (63.4 m) clear span). The bridge, opened in 1855, was also one of the oldest of its type in the United States
. It was destroyed on August 28, 2011 as a result of flooding from Tropical Storm Irene
.
to build the bridge by a group of local business men who formed the Blenheim Bridge Company for the purpose of constructing this bridge. The bridge opened in 1855, and remained in use for vehicles until 1932, when a steel truss bridge was constructed near-by. Since then, the bridge was maintained as a historic site open to pedestrians. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1964.
On August 28, 2011, record flooding along the Schoharie Creek, due to Tropical Storm Irene
, resulted in the bridge being washed away and completely destroyed.
in California is longer. The New York Covered Bridge Society states that Blenheim bridge was 2 feet longer than "a bridge in California" (presumably Bridgeport), in terms of clear span. Blenheim's clear span was originally 219 feet, according to this website.
A report by the U.S. Department of the Interior
states that the Bridgeport Covered Bridge ( No. CA-41) has clear spans of 210 feet (64 m) on one side and 208 feet (63.4 m) on the other, while Blenheim Bridge ( No. NY-331) had a documented clear span of 210 feet (64 m) in the middle (1936 drawings). In August 2003, measurements of post-repair Blenheim Bridge abutments were 209 in 2 in (63.75 m) on the upstream side, and 205 in 6 in (62.64 m) on the downstream side.
Historically, the longest single-span covered bridge on record was Pennsylvania's McCall's Ferry Bridge with a claimed clear span of 360 feet (109.7 m) (built 1814–15, destroyed by ice jam 1817).
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...
that spanned Schoharie Creek
Schoharie Creek
Schoharie Creek in New York, USA flows north from the foot of Indian Head Mountain in the Catskill Mountains through the Schoharie Valley to the Mohawk River. It is twice impounded north of Prattsville to create New York City's Schoharie Reservoir and the Blenheim-Gilboa Power Project.Two notable...
in North Blenheim, New York
Blenheim, New York
Blenheim is a town in Schoharie County, New York, United States. The population was 330 at the 2000 census. The town was named after a land patent, which itself was named after the Battle of Blenheim....
. With an open span of 210 feet (64 m), it had the longest span of any surviving covered bridge
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 the world; although the structure's total length, made it second in that respect to the Bridgeport Covered Bridge
Bridgeport Covered Bridge
The Bridgeport Covered Bridge is located in Bridgeport, Nevada County, California, southwest of French Corral and north of Lake Wildwood. It is used as a pedestrian crossing over the South Yuba River. The bridge was designed by David Ingefield Wood, and built in 1862. Its lumber came from Plum...
(233 feet (71 m) long with a 208 feet (63.4 m) clear span). The bridge, opened in 1855, was also one of the oldest of its type in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was destroyed on August 28, 2011 as a result of flooding from Tropical Storm Irene
Hurricane Irene (2011)
Hurricane Irene was a large and powerful Atlantic hurricane that left extensive flood and wind damage along its path through the Caribbean, the United States East Coast and as far north as Atlantic Canada in 2011...
.
History
Nichols Montgomery Powers was brought in from VermontVermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
to build the bridge by a group of local business men who formed the Blenheim Bridge Company for the purpose of constructing this bridge. The bridge opened in 1855, and remained in use for vehicles until 1932, when a steel truss bridge was constructed near-by. Since then, the bridge was maintained as a historic site open to pedestrians. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1964.
On August 28, 2011, record flooding along the Schoharie Creek, due to Tropical Storm Irene
Hurricane Irene (2011)
Hurricane Irene was a large and powerful Atlantic hurricane that left extensive flood and wind damage along its path through the Caribbean, the United States East Coast and as far north as Atlantic Canada in 2011...
, resulted in the bridge being washed away and completely destroyed.
Longest bridge
Many sources simply claimed the Old Blenheim Bridge was the longest surviving single-span covered bridge, without getting into span-length vs. total-length. There are also sources that claim the Bridgeport Covered BridgeBridgeport Covered Bridge
The Bridgeport Covered Bridge is located in Bridgeport, Nevada County, California, southwest of French Corral and north of Lake Wildwood. It is used as a pedestrian crossing over the South Yuba River. The bridge was designed by David Ingefield Wood, and built in 1862. Its lumber came from Plum...
in California is longer. The New York Covered Bridge Society states that Blenheim bridge was 2 feet longer than "a bridge in California" (presumably Bridgeport), in terms of clear span. Blenheim's clear span was originally 219 feet, according to this website.
A report by the U.S. Department of the Interior
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
states that the Bridgeport Covered Bridge ( No. CA-41) has clear spans of 210 feet (64 m) on one side and 208 feet (63.4 m) on the other, while Blenheim Bridge ( No. NY-331) had a documented clear span of 210 feet (64 m) in the middle (1936 drawings). In August 2003, measurements of post-repair Blenheim Bridge abutments were 209 in 2 in (63.75 m) on the upstream side, and 205 in 6 in (62.64 m) on the downstream side.
Historically, the longest single-span covered bridge on record was Pennsylvania's McCall's Ferry Bridge with a claimed clear span of 360 feet (109.7 m) (built 1814–15, destroyed by ice jam 1817).
External links
- Photos of Blenheim Covered Bridge by Douglas Kerr
- Photos of Blenheim Covered Bridge by Charles Peifer
- Blenheim Bridge, at New York State Covered Bridge Society
- Blenheim Covered Bridge, Spanning Schoharie River, North Blenheim, Schoharie County, NY: 3 drawings, 2 photos and 6 data pages, at Historic American Building Survey
- Blenheim Bridge, Spanning Schoharie Creek, River Road (now bypassed, North Blenheim, Schoharie County, NY: 13 photos, 13 data pages, and 1 photo caption page at Historic American Building Survey