East Fork Covered Bridge - Trinity Covered Bridge, Fallsburg Kentucky
The East Fork Covered Bridge is one of two in Lawrence County. This bridge, built in 1924 by John and George Riffe, was the newest and shortest (42 feet) publicly-owned covered bridge still standing in Kentucky. It was demolished on July 10th 1980.
Back in 1924, B. V. Shortridge, Magistrate of Lawrence County, had an 11,000-acre tract along the East Fork of Little Sandy River, but with no easy means of access. "His son-in-law, John Riffe, took the contract to build a bridge. Shortridge drew up plans for the structure and Riffe got his brother George to help. After the county poured concrete abutments, the brothers hauled in five big 40-feet oak beams for stringers, fashioned kingposts for trusswork, nailed on weatherboarding, and put a corrugated tin roof over-all".
At one time Kentucky had hundreds of covered bridges spanning her rivers. Just prior to World War II, sixty-five were still standing. By 1952, the numbers had shrunk to thirty-nine. Now only sixteen remain. These sixteen, which represent a variety of structural types, are concentrated in the central and northeast sections of the state in the small communities or rural areas of the state.
Many reasons have been offered to explain the construction of covered bridges in Kentucky during the 19th century. The road across the bridges were kept dry and free of snow in winter. Most important, however, was the protection the covering over the bridges provided against the deterioration of the wood. It permitted the timbered trusses and braces to season properly and kept water out of the joints. The life of the bridge was, therefore, significantly prolonged, averaging, generally seven to eight times that of one left uncovered.
Bridge Description
The East Fork Covered Bridge in Lawrence County is located approximately 500 feet off Lawrence County Road 1496 over the East Fork of the Little Sandy River. It is constructed on a modification of the single kingpost design employing braces and counter-braces. The timber structure is vertically sided, and has an open gable. A frame house stands 50 yards to the south.
According to Kentucky Department of Transportation measurements, the East Fork (also called Fallsburg and Trinity School) Covered Bridge in Lawrence County, is 43 feet in length.
