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Shenandoah
County, Virginia
(WGN 46-82-01)
(WGCB VA-82-01): (1894) - A four-span sixteen-panel, multiple Kingpost,
sandwiched between a full-height laminated Burr arch truss 204' over the
North Fork of the Shenandoah River. Located: South of Mount Jackson,
Virginia on SR 720 Directions: From I-81 at exit 269 between
New Market and Mount Jackson, Virginia following SR 730 from the interchange
0.4 mile to US 11, then north on US 11 0.9 mile to a left on SR 720 and
west a short distance to the bridge. It also can be reached on US 11 four
miles north of New Market, Virginia and about two miles south of Mount
Jackson, Virginia turning onto SR 720. There has been at least one other
bridge on the site. The Meem's Bottom Covered Bridge was built in
1894 from materials cut and quarried nearby for the massive arch supports
and stone abutments, which extended 10 feet below the riverbed. Records
show that one bridge was washed away in a flood in 1870. The bridge
carried traffic for more than 80 years before being burned by vandals on
Halloween 1976. After salvaging the original timbers, the bridge
was fully restored in 1979 and under girded with steel beams and concrete
piers. In 1982, a floor beam broke, once again closing the bridge.
It remained closed until 1983. During this time, three piers and
steel I-bean stringers were added converting the bridge from a single-span
truss bridge to a four-span bridge at a cost of $140,000. It is longest
and the widest, at 19' 3", authentic historic covered bridge in Virginia.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 10, 1975.
(2001, May 2003) |
