Pugh's Mill Covered Bridge - Black Covered Bridge, Oxford Ohio
This covered bridge, referred to both as the Black Covered Bridge and the Pugh's Mill Covered Bridge, was built about 1869 to span Four Mile or Talawanda Creek one mile north of Oxford. Talawanda is the Indian name for the creek and Four Mile Creek is the name given to it by General Anthony Wayne. The name Black comes from a family who once lived near the bridge site. The name Pugh's Mill comes from a mill that was located a short distance north of the covered bridge. The builder of the bridge and the exact building date are unknown, but according to newspaper articles in 1951 when the bridge was being bypassed, the bridge was then about 82 years old.
This bridge is a beloved landmark in the Oxford area and when plans were announced in 1951 to remove the covered bridge when the new section of SR 732 was completed, the citizens of the area led a fight to retain the old bridge. The bridge is closed to all traffic, auto and pedestrian, but a turn-around has been provided for the convenience of visitors.
It was not uncommon for bridge builders to make variations on standard bridge trusses, and when such changes were made a one-of-a-kind bridge resulted. The Black Bridge is an interesting example of such a variation.
Bridge Description
The bridge is a two-span wooden truss covered bridge spanning Four Mile or Talawanda Creek one mile north of Oxford in Oxford Township, Butler County, Ohio. This old bridge has a sheet metal roof, vertical, high-boarded siding, stone abutments and pier and an additional set of two steel piers.
This bridge was built about 1869 on the Long truss plan patented in 1830 by Colonel Stephan Long of the U. S. Army Topographical Engineers. This truss has been described as resembling a series of boxed X's and it was the first bridge truss into which mathematical calculations entered and it is considered to be the first panel truss. The Black Bridge can be described as a variation of the Long truss as it has 10 panels in each span and the outer five panels of each span are true Long trusses, with a diagonal tension rod in each panel running between the double braces passing through a hole in the counterbrace at the point of intersection. The center five panels of each span are more similar to a Childs truss in that the diagonal tension rod is used, but there are no wooden counterbraces. This makes the bridge a modified version of the Long truss, the only one of its kind anywhere. Each span measures 103' clear span with a 9' overhang on each end making the total length 224'. The overall width is 23' 4" with an 18' roadway. The vertical clearance is 15' 6". The truss timbers are 10" x 10" and each panel measures about 10' 3".
The outward appearance of this covered bridge has changed little over the years. The portals are straight and both the portals and siding show traces of the white paint which once covered the bridge. Most all the paint is gone now. A set of steel piers has been added under each bridge span about 10' from each abutment. The center pier is reinforced with concrete at the base. Wire screening has been nailed over the portals to keep people off of the bridge.