Covered Bridges are part of America's history. They serve as artifacts of craftsmanship of the past and picturesque reminders of another way of life.
The covered bridge concept originated in central Europe. It featured a roof and siding that protected the wooden truss structure and contributed to its longevity. Even after the introduction of iron into the bridge building process, covered wooden bridges were inexpensive solutions for spanning the many creeks and rivers in West Virginia.
The Philippi Covered Bridge is the best known covered bridge in West Virginia. The bridge was built in 1852, when the General Assembly of Virginia authorized the construction of the Beverly-to-Fairmont Turnpike. Today the two-lane "double barrel" structure serves US Route 250 traffic. It is the nation's only covered bridge serving a federal highway.
The Philippi bridge contract was awarded to Lemuel Chenoweth, who had built numerous covered bridges for the turnpike system. Constructed of yellow poplar, the bridge was 26 feet wide and 285 feet long, larger than most bridges of this time.
A tollgate was placed at the east end to collect fares from users. A horse and rider was charged 10 cents; carriages with two horses, 35 cents; head of cattle, 1.5 cents; a score of sheep, 5 cents.
The bridge was the site of the first land battle of the Civil War. On June 3, 1861, Union troops led a surprise attack on Confederate troops under the command of Colonel George Porterfield. The attack caused the Confederate troops to retreat. Union troops took command of the bridge and used it as a barracks.
The Philippi Covered Bridge has endured floods, fires, and structural modifications. Renovations to the bridge in 1938 replaced the wooden deck with concrete. On February 2, 1989, the bridge was severely damaged by fire. An extensive $1.4 million restoration project was begun by local preservationists with the goal of restoring the bridge to its original condition.
The two-year historical restoration project repaired the fire-damaged timbers and used new timbers to build the bridge back to its original appearance. The bridge was reopened for public use on Sept. 16, 1991.
Today the Philippi Covered Bridge is an authentic representation of the bridge during the American Civil War, with a few additions to make it compatible with modern highway requirements.
*Information provided from http://www.philippi.org
Back to Philippi Main Page
