Shinn Covered Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Shinn Covered Bridge is a historic wooden covered bridge
in the southeastern part of the U.S. state
of Ohio
. Located in the countryside northeast of Bartlett
in Washington County
, this single-span truss bridge
was built in 1886 by local carpenter
Charles T. Shinn. Built of weatherboarded
walls with stone abutment
s and a metal roof, the bridge features the Burr Truss
design, which mixes the king post truss
with a wooden arch designed by Andrea Palladio
in the sixteenth century. Shinn built his bridge to span the western branch of Wolf Creek in Palmer Township
. Measuring 98 feet (29.9 m) in length, the bridge was constructed soon after the drowning of one of Shinn's children.
In 1976, the Shinn Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. It qualified for inclusion on the Register because of its important historic architecture and its place in the history of Ohio
, for it is one of the last few examples of Burr king post arch truss bridges still standing in the state.
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 southeastern part of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Located in the countryside northeast of Bartlett
Bartlett, Ohio
Bartlett is an unincorporated community in southwestern Wesley Township, Washington County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 45713. It sits at the intersection of State Routes 550 and 555 near Coal Run, a subsidiary of Wolf Creek,...
in Washington County
Washington County, Ohio
Washington County is a county located in the state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 61,778. Its county seat is Marietta. The county, the oldest in the state, is named for George Washington. Washington County is included in the Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, West Virginia-Ohio...
, this single-span truss bridge
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
was built in 1886 by local carpenter
Carpentry
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
Charles T. Shinn. Built of weatherboarded
Weatherboarding
Weatherboarding is the cladding or ‘siding’ of a house consisting of long thin timber boards that overlap one another, either vertically or horizontally on the outside of the wall. They are usually of rectangular section with parallel sides...
walls with stone abutment
Abutment
An abutment is, generally, the point where two structures or objects meet. This word comes from the verb abut, which means adjoin or having common boundary. An abutment is an engineering term that describes a structure located at the ends of a bridge, where the bridge slab adjoins the approaching...
s and a metal roof, the bridge features the Burr Truss
Burr Truss
The Burr Arch Truss — or simply Burr Truss or Burr Arch — is a combination of an arch and a multiple kingpost truss design. It was invented in 1804 by Theodore Burr, patented on April 3, 1817, and used in bridges, usually covered bridges....
design, which mixes the king post truss
King post
A king post is a central vertical supporting post used in architectural, bridge, or aircraft design applications.-Architecture:...
with a wooden arch designed by Andrea Palladio
Andrea Palladio
Andrea Palladio was an architect active in the Republic of Venice. Palladio, influenced by Roman and Greek architecture, primarily by Vitruvius, is widely considered the most influential individual in the history of Western architecture...
in the sixteenth century. Shinn built his bridge to span the western branch of Wolf Creek in Palmer Township
Palmer Township, Washington County, Ohio
Palmer Township is one of the twenty-two townships of Washington County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 625 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the western part of the county, it borders the following townships:...
. Measuring 98 feet (29.9 m) in length, the bridge was constructed soon after the drowning of one of Shinn's children.
In 1976, the Shinn Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. It qualified for inclusion on the Register because of its important historic architecture and its place in the history of Ohio
History of Ohio
The history of Ohio includes many thousands of years of human activity. What is now Ohio was probably first settled by Paleo-Indian peoples, who lived in the area as early as 13,000 BCE. Later ancestors of Native Americans were known as the Archaic peoples...
, for it is one of the last few examples of Burr king post arch truss bridges still standing in the state.