Foundation For Kentucky's Lost Covered Bridges

The  Foundation For Kentucky''s Lost Covered Bridges  has listed below tips on how to search and obtain information on lost covered bridges. The tips we have listed are from experiences on past searches. If you have any suggestions and/or ideas that would help to research lost covered bridges we would certainly like to have your ideas.

Court Records

Many county court records exist that have information on lost covered bridges. A covered bridge that was built by the county was initiated by a court order. County officials, called surveyors,  could not spend monies without having permission from someone in authority. A court hearing had be held at which time a judge would make a determination on two issues, is the bridge necessary, and two do we have enough funds to pay for it. (Many bridges were paid on installments, the order would say x amount of money per month for a length of time coming from tax reciepts. This would be placed in the order at a later time.) Sometimes the judge would describe what type truss, the height above flood stage to be placed, what the stonework was and the amount of money the project was not to exceed.

 If the judge decided the two conditions were met, he would order the project to be let for bids. This would be on record, for example court order book number 36, page 256. The surveyors would return to court with bids on the project and what information they had on the bids.

  At this time the judge would award the contract to a contractor. He would include the amount to be paid, how the monies were to be paid, who the contractor was, when the bridge was to be built, where the bridge was to be built and sometimes the description of the construction specifications of the bridge. He would also order the surveyors, which would include the name/s of the surveyor, who was to oversee the construction specifications of the bridge. This would be entered into record, example court order book number 38, page 123.

   Once the bridge was completed, another court hearing would be held at which time the surveyor would attest to the fact the bridge was built as per contract and specifications. The contractor was ordered to be paid and how he was to be paid. This would be recorded at the county courthouse, example court order book number 56, page 345.

   If any major repairs were to be made on the bridge later, or if the bridge was to be rebuilt, this same process would be followed and additional court orders wre made and recorded in the same way.

These court records are the best evidence for documentation, they tell when it was built, where it was built, who built it, how much it cost to be built, what it cost to make repairs to the bridge, what time period these repairs were made and the judge/s who ordered all these things. In order to find these things, you have to go to the county courthouse in the county the bridge was built and dig through books of court orders. The court orders are open to the public.

   Another good  source for information on court records are old wills and property descriptions. The property description would sometimes be bounded by point A to Point B and then to Carter Bridge may be another corner. The old homestead may be described as being near Pocohantas Bridge.

   National Historical Landmarks are also good sources. They describe old estates and bridges they were near. Many of the old estates and plantations had private covered bridges.

OLD MAPS

Old maps are excellent starting points for covered bridges, especially maps dating 1890 and older. These maps show the roadways that existed at the time prior to anything  being bypasses. Steel bridges didn't really start coming around until after 1870. This was due in part to the access to better steel and also because of all the wooden bridges burnt during the civil war.

  By viewing old maps you can see where the roads crossed the waterways. You can also see where the canals crossed the streams. Canals had to be level, at least for some distance. When a canal met a mountain or valley or river that couldn't be bypassed, the canal had to cross with a bridge across the obstacle. These were called Aqueduct bridges. Another hint as well, if you see a mill of some sort on an old map next to a waterway, there was very likely a covered bridge that crossed the waterway. You see lierature that says the mill owners built bridges to encourage more trade. I haven't seen a Virginia Law yet that states this, but I have seen in it other legal papers, that states if a mill owner had a mill beside a watercourse, he had to furnish a 10 foot bridge ( width-wise).

  Old maps are very good sources, but you then have to determine if the bridge was a wooden bridge, stone bridge or a covered bridge. 

There are several places to view old maps. The local library, historical societies and books.

The Library of Congress has huge amounts of old maps that are easily accessed and can be downloaded. Their website link is  Library of Congress

  The Kentucky Historical Society has access to old maps.

Many universities have access to maps and information.

   Another good trick is to open a tab on the historical maps and then open a tab on mapquest for the same area. By comparing the old maps and checking the curve of rivers to isolate the location, you can then zoom in on the suspected area. The mapquest must be set in aerial view to accurately see the locations. On many of the newer maps you will find the old roads that end at one side of the river and oppisite the other side of the river will be another road that terminates as well. Oftentimes they will carry names such as Old Bridge Road or some Mills Road or Something Ferry Road. These are the locations of these old wooden bridges..

CIVIL WAR RECORDS

There are 26 volumes of Civil War records that include field notes, battle maps, old photographs and other resources that capture events that happened during the Civil War.

  I have made speeches, and I firmly believe this, The Civil War, for whatever reasons it started, once it began,  was a battle that was fought over covered bridges and railroad tressles. The plan of the Federal Government was to isolate the south and blockade the coast. Once this was accomplished the Federals began a systematic policy of destroying railroad bridges and covered bridges that were important to supply lines. Most all of the battles in Virginia were fought around a covered bridge. The Feds were destorying railroad bridges and the Confederates were trying to protect them.

   When the troops, of either side, were forced to retreat or were trying to pin down their opponent would burn covered bridges to prevet their escape or to prevent the enemy from following. By the end of the Civil War, Virginia's bridge system was in shamples. Virginia, prior to the Civil War, had bridges that were the envy all of the other states.

   The Library of Congress has a huge amount of information pertaining to the Civil War. Their weblink is Library of Congress.

BOOKS

Books are an excellent source of information. You can also search online for books. Some of the books will surprise you in giving forth information when you don't thimk they pertain to anything at all. I found a book, written in 1891, about geologists that were placing instruments in the rivers of virginia to docuemnt the output of the river systems. They were going from one point to the next, telling where there instruments were located and at what town or city theye were located. They were placing them on covered bridges so they could reach the center of the river for accurate measurements. They had instruments at each bridge along the river. This information had to be recorded for future projects, the work was done by scientists and the work was documented.

   Searching for books online are especially helpful because all the keywords are marked for you in each book. Many of the books reference the Civil war. On some of your search engines when you enter a search term, you can search for "The Web"  "images" "News" Etc.   On the word "MOre" you can click that and the book option will allow you to search keywords in books only. Google is especially good for doing this task.

CANAL AND TURNPIKE RECORDS

Canal Company records are very good sources for information but are hard to find but the Canal Companies built a lot of covered bridges to give access to the canals. They were also built to access depots. There were numerous Turnpike Companies that built roads and covered bridges throughout virginia.

  

NEWSPAPERS

Old issues of newspapers are good sources of information on covered bridges. The old newpapers tell when floods happened and washed bridges away. They tell when bridges were burned. They tell when bridges are replaced and often describe what the previous bridge was, sometimes giving the history of the old bridge. They describe train wrecks and bridges they happenend on.

OLD BRIDGE PIERS

The old bridge piers are evidence of covered bridges. They document information on bridges known to exist. They give the exact location of the old bridge. Many of the old piers are being re-used on existing bridges. Old bridges used masonary stone that were hand-hewed. Modern bridge use concrete piers.

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