South Salem Covered Bridge, South Salem Ohio
The South Salem or Buckskin Covered Bridge has been serving the community of South Salem for over a century now. Bids for a bridge at Caldwell's Crossing of Buckskin Creek were let on June 25, 1873, and there were 5 bidders. The lowest bid was submitted by the Smith Bridge Company at $18.75 per linear foot. The abutments were built by Robert Matthews at $5.75 per perch. It is said that even after the bridge was built, many people continued to use the old ford.
The name Buckskin by which this bridge is sometimes known, comes from an old legend to the effect that a party of white hunters came upon a band of Indians on the bank of a small stream drying buckskins in a hollow sycamore tree. The whites scattered the Indians and captured the buckskins. From this incident comes the name Buckskin for the creek (a tributary of Paint Creek), the township, and the bridge. This area is part of the historic Virginia Military District where Virginians who served in the Revolutionary War were given lands between the Scioto River and the Lt. Miami River.
Bridge Description
The bridge is a one span wooden truss covered bridge spanning Buckskin Creek in Buckskin Township just west of South Salem on Lower Twin Road in Ross County, Ohio. The bridge has vertical high-boarded siding, a metal roof, projected portals with square openings and stone abutments.
The South Salem Bridge is an 8-panel Smith truss. The Smith truss was patented in 1867 and 1869 by Ohioan Robert W. Smith of Tipp City, later Toledo, Ohio. The 1869 patent, #97,714, was an improvement over the 1867 truss of which no examples remain today. The Smith truss featured braces set at a 45 angle between the 60 counterbraces, an open center panel and rigidly fastened roof and floor stringers. The South Salem Bridge is a type 2 Smith truss which was built with single timber X's and an open V center panel. According to its inventor, the rigidly fastened poof and floor stringers helped the bridge maintain its proper shape for a greater length of time than other wooden trusses. Mr. Smith also claimed that his bridge was lighter, stronger, and cheaper to build than other truss types. The Smith Bridge Company often pre-fabricated these trusses and shipped them to the bridge site where they were erected by local labor under the supervision of the bridge company. The South Salem Bridge is 115' long overall with a 99' clear span; the width is 163" and the clearance is 12'. The floor is laid lengthwise.
The outward appearance of the South Salem Bridge has changed little over the years. The bridge is unpainted. Some of the floor joists were replaced in 1969. Repairs were also made in 1971 and 1972.
West portal, south side of bridge looking northeast (1974)
South side of bridge, looking north (1974)
