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Giles
County, Virginia
(WGN
46-35-03) (WGCB: VA-35-03): (Private)
(c. 1916; modified 1980 and 1988) Single-span Queenpost truss variant
36' over Sinking Creek. Located: North of Newport, Virginia
off ST 42 (Blue Grass Trail). Directions: From Newport, Virginia
at the jct. of US 460 and SR 42 (Blue Grass Trail), go north on ST 42 2.5
miles past the jct. with Clover Hollow Road (SSR 601) and start looking
for the bridge, barely visible from ST 42, at the bottom of the hill to
your right on a farm. The bridge is 0.6 miles down a gated dirt road.
(On private property so request permission to visit. However, when
visited in October 2003, the dirt road was chained off and the land was
"posted" with no indication who could give permission to visit.)
I was able to capture the bridge using my telephoto lens from the shoulder
of ST 42. The shortest authentic covered motor vehicle bridge remaining
in Virginia. Four steel I-beams stringers were added in 1980 to strengthen
the bridge. It rests on dry natural stone abutments that have had
poured concrete added in 1988. Open pasture runs up the hillside
to State Road 42, on the northeast end of the bridge and more pasture and
a homestead on the southeast end. Since the bridge is on private
property, with very limited access, it is unknown if structure received any damage when Sinking Creek flooded during tropical storm Gaston in October, 2004. Also known as Maple Shade Farm or Maple Groveor Craig or C. K. Reynolds orRed Maple Farm or Reynolds Covered Bridge. (Mar 2004) |
