Kirker Covered Bridge, West Union Ohio
The Kirker Covered Bridge takes its name from Governor Thomas Kirker who served as governor of Ohio from 1807-1808. Governor Kirker was a native of Ireland who came to this country in 1779. He came to this area that later became Liberty Township, Adams County, in 1794 and is considered to have been the first permanent settler in the area, The Kirker Home is a short distance south of the covered bridge. Also south of the covered bridge is the Kirker Cemetary where the former governor is buried. The Kirker Bridge is one of only two such spans left in Adams County and has been retired from the state highway system. A new bridge was built just to the west of the old covered structure to carry SR 136 over the east fork of Eagle Creek and the old bridge has been closed to all but pedestrian traffic. It is maintained as a historic site by Adams County.
The exact building date of the Kirker Covered Bridge is unknown, but one source says it was the late 1860s, The bridge became a part of the state highway system in the 1930s and has now reverted back to county ownership.
The structure is a one-span wooden truss covered bridge spanning the east fork of Eagle Creek just east of SR 136 in Liberty Township, Adams County, Ohio. This bridge has a sheet metal roof, high-boarded, vertical siding, projected portals and cut stone abutments.
The Kirker Bridge is a 6-panel multiple kingpost truss. The kingpost truss is the basic triangular truss that features the diagonal members in compression and the center or kingpost, is in tension. This basic truss type has been the basis for the development of many more sophisticated truss plans. It is a truss type that has been used since earliest times. The Kirker Bridge is built on a skew, that is, diagonally across the stream. All truss timbers in this bridge are double except the upper and lower chords which are in 3 sections. All of these truss timbers are of untreated oak and the siding is yellow pine. In 1950, the Ohio Highway Department gave this bridge a thorough renovation. The trusses were reinforced with steel tension rods bolted from the top of the top chord to beneath the lower chords. The floor beams were replaced with steel I-beams. The steel guardrail on the approach to the bridge was extended through the bridge, probably to protect the trusses. The overall length of the Kirker Bridge is 64'3" and the clear span is 56'6", The roadway width of the bridge is 15'7" and the overall width is 19'9½", The vertical clearance is 12' and the height of the trusses is 14'11", The floor of the bridge is of treated pine, laid lengthwise. The abutments are the original cut stone with concrete reinforcements at the bridge seat. The siding and portals are painted white.
The Kirker Bridge is in good condition. It has been by-passed and is being preserved as a historic site, open to pedestrian traffic only.
North portal, west side, looking southeast (1975)
