Parks Covered Bridge, Somerset Ohio
This old covered span is known as the Parks Bridge. The name Parks comes from the family that owned the land nearby when the bridge was built. The builder is said to have been a man named Dean, who built at least two other Perry County covered bridges. According to the Perry County Atlas of 1875, there were landowners by the name of Dean in Hopewell Township. Mr. Dean is not listed as a bridge-builder in this atlas, so we can assume that he was one of those skilled farmer-carpenters in which Ohio abounded in the 19th century. The native sandstone abutments were cut by Hugh Davis. The building date is 1882.
The Parks Bridge is a good example of the multiple kingpost truss common in early Ohio wooden bridge-building. It is unusual in that the trusses are tapered and cleverly joined to the top and bottom chords showing outstanding craftsmanship on the part of the builder. The Parks Bridge is quite attractive with the pronounced camber giving it a graceful look. The bright red siding and white portals with their blue trim also add to the pleasing aspect of this well-cared-for covered bridge.
Bridge Description
The Parks Bridge is a one span wooden truss covered bridge on county road 33 in Hopewell Township section 27, Perry County, Ohio, spanning a branch of Jonathon Creek. The siding is vertical, boarded almost to the eaves, the roof is metal and the abutments are native sandstone laid with mortar.
The truss of this bridge is a 5-panel multiple kingpost. The kingpost is the earliest formal bridge truss, the basic triangle with a center post. The diagonals are in compression and the center post or kingpost, is the tension member. The kingpost was the basic design of the early bridges and the multiple kingpost was the natural outgrowth of this when a longer bridge was needed, The kingpost truss was easy for any competent carpenter to build as these simple trusses were commonly used in barn and mill buildings. In the Parks Bridge, the top chords are 2-8 x 8's; the bottom chords are 2-6¼ x 12's spaced 34" apart with a steel rod running the length of the bridge between these chords. These rods are obviously not a part of the original design, but a strengthening device added at a later date. The height of the trusses is 14'; the end posts are 8 x 8's; the end diagonals are 8 x 8's which taper top and bottom to 6 x 8's; the second diagonals are 7½ x 8's tapering to 6 x 8's; the second kingposts are 7½ x 8's; the middle panel diagonals are 8 x 8's tapering to 6 x 8's and the center kingpost is 12 x 8 at the bottom tapering to 9½ x 8 at the center and 7 x 8 at the top. The length of the bridge is 66' 4" with a clear span of 55' 6"; the overall width is 15' and the roadway is 12' 6". The clearance is 11' 2".
This bridge has a pronounced camber giving it a very graceful appearance. The flooring is laid crosswise. The siding is painted an attractive red and the portals are white with some blue trim. Both siding and portals are finished with battens. The Parks Bridge is a fine example of the multiple kingpost truss and the building skills of a neighborhood carpenter-bridge-builder.
East portal South side of bridge looking northwest (1973)
