Nj Covered Bridges

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
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Yes Ben would be right,at least in my mind.I know of know official legitimacy test but many people build little covered bridges to nowhere in their yards and these are all on the site.Many of them can't be gotten too because their on private property and are quite new.To me anyway a legitimate bridge wouldn't necessarily drivable.I have seen actual bridges taken out of service and either moved to a new location or left alone with a newer bridge placed beside them.Their still legitimate in my view.Also the bridge has to be at least older then me,hopefully quite a bit older. I have no exact date in my mind but I"m not really interested in in newly built bridges unless their replacements of old bridges on the original foundations.
 

MuckSavage

Explorer
Apr 1, 2005
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Turnersville
The other part of the legitimacy is where a "real" covered bridge, the sidewalls & roof make up the structure (weight-carrying) design of the bridge. Kinda like an overhead truss. The bridge in Cherry Hill & Washington Twp are simply bridges that have a roof built atop them. the roof is simply aesthetics,
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
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From what I"ve read the purpose of the roof is to prevent decay as long as possible.Much easier to replace the roof then the structure.Makes sense to me.
Yes Muck a bridge with just a roof slapped on it does not qualify to me. I also prefer bridges with wooden structure as opposed to steel.
 

MuckSavage

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Apr 1, 2005
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@manumuskin ...true. I re-read what I wrote & messed up. The sidewalls are the truss, thus covering it for protection from weather. I also just read that another reason for covering the sides was so horses wouldn't be frightened from walking over the water(?)
 
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manumuskin

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Jul 20, 2003
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Good point about the water.
I would say that Green Seargent Bridge in Hunterdon County would be the only Legitimate (in my opinion) bridge in NJ.I was just there yesterday.Took Momma on a tour of Bucks County bridges which we haven;t done in about five years,used to do it every fall and we swung by Green Sargent on the way home.Have also done most around lancaster County and Columbia County and also most of new England excepting Coos County NH and Vermont which we haven';t gotten too yet.
 
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manumuskin

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Jul 20, 2003
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A Google search turned this up
A covered bridge is a technical name for a specific kind of structure, not just any bridge with a roof. True covered bridges are defined by a timber truss (or frame) that distributes the weight of the load-bearing deck. The truss design determines how long a span it can have and how complex it is to build.Jun 12, 2020
 
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Folks:

Covered bridges proved quite popular among county governments due to their reduced costs of maintenance. The initial cost was usually higher, but the bridges more than paid for themselves over their period of service.

Covered bridges generally featured one of two support and bearing systems: the Burr Arch and the Town Truss. Theodore Burr received a patent for his design on April 3, 1817, although he had employed the design prior to obtaining the patent. A good early example of his style of covered bridge can be observed in photographs of the first bridge across the Delaware River in Trenton, completed in 1806.
1612724855130.png


In Burlington County, the covered bridge at Bridgeboro, over the Rancocas Creek, is a fine specimen of a Burr Arch. Built in 1838 by T. Baker, this double covered bridge with a center swingspan replaced a span first built in 1793. In April 1918, the Willingboro covered section caught fire and fell into the creek. Bevery almost lost a brand new pumping engine when the bridge fell.

Bridgeboro-1.jpg


Bridgeboro-2_edited-1.jpg

The bridge remained in service until 1927, when the State Highway Department replaced it with a single-leaf bascule bridge. In 1989, a high fixed span replaced the drawbridge.

Architect Ithiel Town based his design on his experience of building relatively inexpensive bridges. Town's design featured a crisscross or lattice support system for the bridge. In New Jersey and elsewhere, Woodbury resident Amos Campbell was the preeminent builder of Town Truss bridges. There were few Town Truss bridges that he, or his son, Henry, did not construct. Born in Bucks County in 1780, he moved to Woodbury when in his twenties and married Ann Roe. In 1849, at the age of 69, he traveled to Maumee, Ohio, where officials had contracted him to build his largest covered bridge, measuring over 600 feet long, built with multiple spans. The South Jersey bridges that he constructed include the following:

Crosswicks_edited-1.jpg

Crosswicks Creek Bridge, completed in 1833 and remained in service until 1908.

Amos built the Dividing Creek Bridge in 1841. The span measured 60 feet long and 16 feet wide. The Army Corps of Engineers ordered it replaced with a movable bridge in 1902.

Dividing Creek_edited-1.jpg


In 1830, Amos traveled to Port Elizabeth and build this covered bridge at a cost of $2350:

Port Elizabeth_edited-1.jpg


One of the longer bridges Amos built in South Jersey was the Salem bridge, or more correctly known as the Penns Neck Bridge, over the Salem River. He erected the bridge in 1831 and remained in service until 1922.

Salem-1.jpg


Salem-2.jpg


Amos also built this small bridge over Beaver Creek on Auburn Road.

Pedricktown_edited-1.jpg


Other bridges constructed by Amos Campbell included:

Woodbury, carrying Broad Street over the Woodbury Creek
Big Timber Creek
Hancocks Bridge, $4300
Raccoon Creek, 1829, demolished in 1894
Spicers Ferry, Coopers Creek, Camden, 1833. Replaced by an iron swing span in 1868 built by Henry R. Campbell, Amos's son.
Dennisville, 1844-1885

Amos died August 24, 1868, and he lies in repose in the old Presbyterian Church cemetery on Broad Street (Route 45) in North Woodbury. Son Henry R. Campbell became known as the bridgebuilder of New England during the mid nineteenth century.

Best regards,
Jerseyman
 

Teegate

Administrator
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Sep 17, 2002
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That is great information. I find it interesting that the pumper was almost lost when the bridge collapsed. I guess they placed it on the bridge while it was burning. Not a good idea if so. :D
 
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Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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It is funny you posted about covered bridges. I have traveled to Vermont since the 60's and my daughters and I have been keeping track of newspaper articles on the many vehicles damaging covered bridges because the vehicles are too big. One bridge in particular over Miller's Run in Lyndonville Vermont has taken quite a few hits and a home owner nearby has set up a camera for all of us to see the action. Scroll down to the video to watch the latest hit which is not as serious as the previous ones. It is a long video and shows a second attempt.

 

Longleaf Piney

New Member
Feb 12, 2018
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9
Volusia County, FL
All this time I thought covered bridges were to prevent the horses from being spooked by the sight of the running water below. Covering them to lengthen their life-span makes much more sense though. Great posting Jerseyman, thank you.
 
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Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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I seem to remember that Ed Campbell on this site said his horses hated walking across Quaker Bridge because they saw the water below.
 
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c1nj

Explorer
Nov 19, 2008
272
169
How many large wooden bridges are left in
New Jersey? I can't think of many.
 

c1nj

Explorer
Nov 19, 2008
272
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I miss the "ta-dah, ta-dah, ta-dah..." sound of the old shore wooden causeway bridges. It made me so happy as a kid in the back of the station wagon knowing we made it to the beach.
 
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