Eagle Creek Covered Bridge, Decatur Ohio
The Bowman Bridge is the longest single-span covered bridge in Ohio and it spans scenic Eagle Creek whose fossiliferous limestone out-croppings make this a very beautiful and interesting area. The name Bowman comes from the Bowman family who operated a small general store at the little crossroads community of Neel just to the north of the bridge. The bridge is more commonly known as the Eagle Creek Bridge.
The Bowman Bridge is one of only 15 Smith trusses left here in Ohio, where they originated. The majority of these Smith trusses were built by the Smith Bridge Company or trusted associates. They were built in great numbers in the 1870's with the Smith Bridge Company putting in the low bids at letting. Mr. Smith had agents scattered around Ohio and the neighboring states. Two of his associates later moved to the West Coast where they had the patent rights to build Smith truss bridges. The Ohio Smith trusses were usually pre-fabricated in the company yards at Toledo and shipped by rail to the construction sites where they were erected under company supervision using local labor.
In the late 1930s, there were about 95 covered bridges on the state highway system in Ohio. Only the Bowman Bridge remains today. The state takes very good care of its last covered span and the result is an attractive bridge in a very scenic area.
Bridge Description
Bowman/Eagle Creek Bridge was built in 1875 by Smith Bridge Company for $16.50 per linear foot. The abutments were by Samuel Rees at $1.29 per perch.
The bridge is a one-span wooden truss covered bridge spanning Eagle Creek three miles south of Decatur in Byrd-Huntington Townships, Brown County, Ohio. This bridge has vertical, high-boarded siding, a metal roof, straight portals and stone abutments.
It is built on the Smith truss plan patented in 1867 and again in 1869, #97,714, by Robert W. Smith of Tipp City, later, Toledo, Ohio. The Smith truss was an all-wood truss and featured rigidly fastened floor and roof stringers, braces set at a 45° angle between the 60° counterbraces and an open center panel. Later, Mr. Smith made further improvements (unpatented) on his truss and diagonal braces were added for extra strength in the center panels. Raymond E. Wilson of Swarthmore, Pa., has divided the Smith truss into 4 distinct types according to construction variations. The Bowman Bridge is a 14-panel Smith, type 4. The type 4 variation was most often built after 1875 and featured double and single sets of diagonals. Mr. Smith claimed that his truss type was superior to others because of its strength from the method of bracing, equal distribution of the load, its lightness, and cheapness. The Bowman Bridge is 172'6" overall with a clear span of 164'6"; the overall width is 19'4" with a roadway width of 14'8". Each truss panel measures 12'0". The trusses are 16' high and are of untreated poplar. The floor beams and floor are of pine. The abutments are of dry-laid limestone with concrete reinforcements.
The State Highway Department gave this bridge a thorough renovation in 1952. It is a very attractive bridge, with sides and portals painted a gleaming white. The condition of the bridge is very good.
The 1952 rebuilding job on the Bowman Covered Bridge consisted of all new floor beams, a completely new floor and all new siding. In 1963, a new roof and new roof sheeting was put on the bridge. Then, in 1964 the bridge was repainted.
North portal of bridge, looking south (1974)
