50 ft Queen Post Truss Bridge

In the Pre-Civil War days of wooden bridges, rot was the biggest cause of deterioration. The solution was to cover the walls and build a roof on top. The main thought was to protect the integrity of the bridge adding 45 to 50 years to the life. To protect the covering, paint was sometimes applied – red, white or black was common. Sometimes the interior was whitewashed. Early roofing was cedar shakes and later they used asphalt shingles, tin, overlapping planks or tar paper. They were right, there are hundreds of highway and a few railroad covered bridges still in use today. Some are currently protected by law.