General Information
| Other name(s): | Knights Ferry Covered Bridge |
|---|---|
| Beginning of works: | 1863 |
| Completion: | 1864 |
| Status: | in use |
Project Type
| Structure: |
Covered bridge Howe type truss bridge |
|---|---|
| Function / usage: |
Road bridge |
| Material: |
Timber bridge |
| Structure: |
Through truss bridge |
Awards and Distinctions
Location
| Location: |
Knights Ferry, Stanislaus County, California, USA |
|---|---|
| Crosses: |
|
| Location description: |
Over Stanislaus River |
| Coordinates: | 37° 49' 10.95" N 120° 39' 49.92" W |
Technical Information
Dimensions
| total length | 100.58 m | |
| span lengths | 10.97 m - 28.04 m - 22.25 m - 39.32 m | |
| number of spans | 4 |
Materials
| truss |
wood
|
|---|---|
| abutments |
masonry
|
| verticals (truss) |
iron
|
Significance
The Knight's Ferry Bridge was built in 1863-64 to replace an 1857 uncovered wooden truss that was destroyed in a flood. This was an important crossing on the heavily traveled Stockton-Sonora Road during the California Gold Rush. The Knight's Ferry Bridge is the longest covered bridge west of the Mississippi River.
Historic American Engineering Record Survey HAER CA-314
Excerpt from Wikipedia
The Knight's Ferry Bridge is a historic covered bridge spanning the Stanislaus River at Knights Ferry, California. Built in 1863, it is one of the best-preserved 19th-century wood-iron Howe truss bridges to survive. It was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 2012.
Description and history
The Knight's Ferry Bridge stands at the eastern edge of the small community of Knights Ferry, spanning the Stanislaus River a short distance upriver from the modern Sonora Road bridge. The bridge is almost 379 feet (116 m) long, with a total of four spans set on stone abutments and piers. In addition to spanning the river, the bridge crosses a historic millrace north of the river. The bridge sections consist of Howe trusses formed out of wooden planks bolted together, with wrought iron tension rods, all joined by wrought iron bearing blocks. The exterior of the bridge is finished in vertical board siding, with a metal roof.
The bridge, the second to stand on the site, was built in 1862-63, after the first bridge (built 1856) was swept away during the Great Flood of 1862. Because of this flood, the new bridge was built on higher piers. The bridge was for a long time known as the longest covered bridge west of the Mississippi River, and since the 2011 destruction of Old Blenheim Bridge in New York State, which had approximately the same length, is undisputed as the longest in the United States.
It was documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey and by Historic American Engineering Record. In addition to its status as a National Historic Landmark, it is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing structure in the Knight's Ferry historic district.
Text imported from Wikipedia article "Knight''s Ferry Bridge" and modified on April 26, 2020 according to the CC-BY-SA 4.0 International license.
Participants
Currently there is no information available about persons or companies having participated in this project.
Relevant Web Sites
- About this
data sheet - Structure-ID
20031542 - Published on:
13/09/2007 - Last updated on:
26/04/2020
