White's Covered Bridge

Photos 

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Photo taken by Jet Lowe, 2004, for HAER View photos at Library of Congress

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Perspective, 320 Degrees, Northwest Photo taken by Jet Lowe, 2004, for HAER View photos at Library of Congress

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Oblique Perspective, Due North Photo taken by Jet Lowe, 2004, for HAER View photos at Library of Congress

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Structural Detail, Looking North Photo taken by Jet Lowe, 2004, for HAER View photos at Library of Congress

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Lower Chord Structural Detail Photo taken by Jet Lowe, 2004, for HAER View photos at Library of Congress

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South Abutment, Detail. Note Missing Strut To Left Photo taken by Jet Lowe, 2004, for HAER View photos at Library of Congress

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South Portal Perspective, Looking North Photo taken by Jet Lowe, 2004, for HAER View photos at Library of Congress

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South Portal Elevation Photo taken by Jet Lowe, 2004, for HAER View photos at Library of Congress

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Interior From Mid-Span, Looking South Photo taken by Jet Lowe, 2004, for HAER View photos at Library of Congress

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Interior, North Portal Photo taken by Jet Lowe, 2004, for HAER View photos at Library of Congress

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Oblique Perspective, Looking South Photo taken by Jet Lowe, 2004, for HAER View photos at Library of Congress

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Below Deck, Looking South Photo taken by Jet Lowe, 2004, for HAER View photos at Library of Congress

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North Portal Elevation, Looking South Photo taken by Jet Lowe, 2004, for HAER View photos at Library of Congress

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Perspective, South Photo taken by Jet Lowe, 2004, for HAER View photos at Library of Congress

Map 

Vicinity map Map links: Google Maps Yahoo! Maps TopoZone Terraserver USA

Facts 

Overview

Covered bridge over Flat River on White's Bridge Road

Location

Smyrna, Ionia County, Michigan

Status

Open to traffic

History

Built 1867-1869; Subsequent work 1936, 1967, 1991;

Builders

- Jared N. Bresee
- Joseph H. Walker

Design

Covered Through truss
White's Bridge is one of two surviving examples of a Brown truss covered bridge in the United States. Patented by Josiah Brown Jr. in 1857, the Brown truss represents a mid-nineteenth century flowering of innovation in American timber bridge design.

Dimensions

Length of largest span: 118.8 ft.
Total length: 120.7 ft.
Deck width: 13.1 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 12.2 ft.

Recognition

Posted to the National Register of Historic Places

Approximate latitude, longitude

+43.01470, -85.29790   (decimal degrees)
43°00'53" N, 85°17'52" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")

Approximate UTM coordinates

16/638703/4763852 (zone/easting/northing)

USGS topographic map

Smyrna, Michigan UTM: 16.638704.4763854

Inventory numbers

NRHP 73002330 (National Register of Historic Places reference number)
BH 20074 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Inspection (as of 10/2007)

Deck condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Superstructure condition rating: Poor (4 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Appraisal: Structurally deficient
Sufficiency rating: 14.2 (out of 100)

Average daily traffic (as of 2007)

130

Categories 

Update Log 

• August 13, 2008: Updated by J.R. Manning: Updated bridge data

Sources 

• J.R. Manning - thekitchenguy [at] sbcglobal [dot] net
• HAER MI-331 - White's Bridge, Spanning Flat River, White's Bridge Road, Smyrna, Ionia County, MI

Comments