Salisbury Center Covered Bridge, Salisbury Center New York

Date added: April 25, 2024

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The Salisbury Center Covered Bridge is the sole survivor of seven bridges of this form which were once present in the town of Salisbury. It is the only example of this rapidly disappearing type in its region of the state. Today only twenty-five of the over two hundred and fifty covered bridges constructed in New York State during the nineteenth century still exist.

In 1817 Theodore Burr patented the combination arch-and-truss structural system. Although more advanced trusses were invented, local bridge builders continued to use the Burr truss almost to the end of the century because of its strength and stability and because it could be made of materials easily available in rural areas. In 1875 Alvah Hopson, a local bridge builder, used this structural system to span Spruce Creek at Salisbury Center. The main structural timbers were covered to keep them from rotting. This wood arch-and-truss bridge belongs to a building tradition which continued to exist in the late nineteenth century in spite of growing industrialization.

Bridge Description

The Salisbury Center Covered Bridge has a scenic rustic setting near an old mill site and spillway on Spruce Creek. It is adjacent to a picnic area. Although this single-lane passageway is open to vehicles under two tons, it has minimal traffic as there is another bridge a block away.

The bridge which was constructed in 1875, has a wood frame with one span forty-two feet long. Its structural system consists of a Burr truss which has two parts: a flat truss with parallel top and bottom chords and connecting diagonals and; two timber arch ribs on each side of the roadway inside the truss plane. The use of this system allows the bridge to have strength and stability as the total load is distributed between truss and arches. Wood pins hold the frame together. The arches resting on stone and concrete abutments reach to the middle of the side elevation of the bridge. The concrete abutment dates from 1968.

Sheathing the sides of the bridge is vertical siding. Some of the tie beams of the gable roof have diagonal braces. On a tie beam over the north portal is a sign which reads, "One dollar fine for crossing this Bridge faster than a walk." Several changes have been made as the shingles on the roof now have a metal covering and over the years siding and boards of the plank flooring have been replaced.

The outside width of the bridge is sixteen feet and its interior width is fourteen feet. Although the roof's ridge is eighteen feet above the road, the clearance is only ten feet.