Harra Covered Bridge, Watertown Ohio
This fine old Long truss covered bridge was built about 1875 by William Meredith of Marietta, Ohio and his sons, Alta and Charlie. The abutments, which were quarried on the nearby Harrah Farm, were laid by Billy Gamble; a stonemason. The Harrah Farm at that time was owned by James Harrah and the bridge takes its name from that family, although it is spelled without the final H today.
Just above the site of the bridge was the Yankee Settlement Mill owned and operated by Marshall Curran Armstrong. His son, Dr. Ross Armstrong, related much of the history of the old bridge to The News of Marietta, Ohio in 1963. Dr. Armstrong vividly recalled the mill dam and swimming in the deep and swift mill race. Before the covered bridge was built, travelers had to ford Wolf Creek about a mile downstream at a place known as Roger's Ford, This was often difficult and dangerous due to high water and the building of the bridge was considered to be a great improvement.
It is one of Ohio's most scenic covered spans, in a very quiet and lovely pastoral setting. It is also one of only eight Long trusses left in the state.
Harra Bridge was built in 1878 by Rolla Merydith for $7.17 per linear foot for yellow poplar. Stonework by Welker and Scott of Gallia County for $3.00 per perch. The bridge is now bypassed.
Bridge Description
The Harra Bridge is a one-span wooden truss covered bridge spanning the south branch of Wolf Creek on township road 172, one-half mile west of SR 76, Watertown Township, 2 miles northwest of Watertown, Washington County, Ohio. This old span has vertical, high-boarded siding, a metal roof, cut-stone abutments and straight portals.
This is known as the Harra Bridge and is built on the Long truss plan patented in 1830 by Col. Stephan H. Long of the U.S. Army Topographical Engineers. Col. Long's plan is considered to be the first truss into which mathematical calculations entered and it is also considered to be the first panel truss. The Long truss is a series of X's, braces, and counterbraces, set between wooden verticals, This truss plan was very popular until eclipsed by the Howe truss in 1840. It was a popular plan favored by the Meredith Family, bridge builders of Marietta, Ohio in the 1870s. The Harra Bridge is a 10-panel Long truss, 100 9" long overall with a 94' 9" truss length. It has a 14' 4" roadway and an overall width of 16 6", The height of the trusses is 17' 1" and the overhead clearance is 13'. The flooring is in three layers. The bottom layer is laid crosswise and the second layer is laid diagonally and does not extend the full width of the bridge, but rather serves as a base for the lengthwise runners which extend from portal to portal. There are four small roofed windows cut into the east side of the bridge and two roofed windows on the west side. The straight portals are gracefully arched above the entrances.
No major changes have been made to this structure since it was built, although the slate roof was replaced with a sheet metal roof some time ago. When the bridge was built, the south approach was a wooden ramp. This was filled in with earth and stone in 1916. The metal roof is red, but the siding and portals are unpainted and weathered to a soft, silver-grey color.
North portal east side (1976)
West side south portal (1976)
