Mount Zion Covered Bridge was a long

Burr truss The Burr Arch Truss—or, simply, Burr Truss or Burr Arch—is a combination of an arch and a ''multiple kingpost'' truss design. It was invented in 1804 by Theodore Burr, patented on April 3, 1817, and used in bridges, usually covered bridges ...

covered bridge A covered bridge is a timber-truss bridge with a roof, decking, and siding, which in most covered bridges create an almost complete enclosure. The purpose of the covering is to protect the wooden structural members from the weather. Uncovered woo ...

near Mooresville, Kentucky. It was built in 1871 and burned down in 2021. For 150 years it spanned the Little Beech Fork With north of Mooresville on Kentucky Route 458. The bridge had been closed to vehicular traffic when a new bridge was constructed beside it, but it remained a

tourist attraction A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural beaut ...

as the longest multi-span covered bridge in Kentucky. Beech Fork, Mooresville, and Mount Zion were all accepted names for the bridge. Mount Zion appears to be the most used historic name. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1976. Records from 1871 indicate it to be 280 feet long and 18 feet wide, but a measurement taken by Kentucky's Department of Transportation in the 1970s measured it at 211 feet. During a 2015-2017 restoration of the bridge it was determined by the contractor, Arnold M. Graton Associates of Ashland, New Hampshire, that the arches were a very early modification to the bridge. As such, the bridge was reclassified as a Multiple Kingpost Truss with added arches. It burned down on March 9, 2021; suspected arson.

Gallery

File:MOUNT ZION COVERED BRIDGE, WASHINGTON COUNTY,KY.jpg, Bridge before 2015 renovation File:Mt Zion Bridge 831.jpg, Covered bridge side by side with newer vehicular traffic bridge (2019) File:Burr Arch 19-10-19 823.jpg, Interior view of arches (2019)

References

Bibliography

*Alien, Richard S. Covered Bridges of the South. New York: Bonanza Books, 1970. *Kentucky Covered Bridge Association. Timbered Tunnel Talk. Newport, Kentucky (various issues).

External links

BridgeHunter.com
National Register of Historic Places in Washington County, Kentucky Bridges completed in 1871 Covered bridges in the United States destroyed by arson Covered bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Kentucky Transportation in Washington County, Kentucky King post truss bridges in the United States Demolished but still listed on the National Register of Historic Places 2021 disestablishments in Kentucky Buildings and structures destroyed by arson Former buildings and structures in Kentucky Buildings and structures demolished in 2021 {{WashingtonCountyKY-NRHP-stub