Rock Mill Covered Bridge was built in 1901. (Credit: Ken Drenten)

By Ken Drenten

At one time, there were 279 covered bridges in Fairfield County, which is the most timber truss bridges of any county in Ohio. Now, just a handful remain in the southeastern Ohio county.

Fortunately, five of those remaining have been restored and are protected under the ownership of the Fairfield County Parks District.

Hanaway Covered Bridge is located in Two Glaciers Park, 7636 Clearcreek Road SW, Lancaster. The original bridge was built in 1881 by James W. Buchanan. A replacement bridge was built from 1901-1904; restorations were undertaken in 1996 and 2017. The Multiple Kingpost bridge is 86 feet long, 16 feet wide and 13 feet high.

Hartman #2 Covered Bridge is located in Lockville Canal Park, 5895 Pickerington Road, Carroll. The bridge, when originally built in 1888, was located on Wheeling Road spanning Raccoon Creek or Pleasant Run east of Lancaster.  The Queen Post Truss type bridge 48 feet long. Builder was William Funk or Jacob R. “Blue Jeans” Brandt.

Johnson Covered Bridge is located at Two Glaciers Park, 7636 Clearcreek Road SW, Lancaster. Built in 1887 at this location by August Borneman and Hocking Valley Bridge Works, the bridge spans 98 feet and is 15 feet wide and 14 feet high. Restored in 1996, the Howe Truss bridge still rests on its original abutments.

Mink Hollow Covered Bridge is located at Arney Run Park, 2340 Meister Road SW, Lancaster. Built in 1887 at this location by Jacob R. “Blue Jeans” Brandt, the bridge is a Multiple Kingpost Truss type with a central “X” brace. The bridge, restored in 1996, is 54 feet long, 14 feet wide and 12 feet high.

Rock Mill Covered Bridge is located at Stebelton Park at Rock Mill, 1429 Rockmill Place NW, Lancaster. Built in 1901 by Jacob R. “Blue Jeans” Brandt, the Queen Post Truss bridge is probably the most well-known of all of the county’s bridges; it sits next to the restored Rock Mill and spans a gorge and waterfall of the Hocking River. The bridge is 36-1/2 feet long, 15 feet wide and 13 feet high. A bridge was originally built at the site in 1849 and was replaced in 1880, and in 1901 by the current structure.

Read more about covered bridges in Dusty Tires.

Other covered bridges in Fairfield County open to the public include:

• John Bright #2 Bridge, built in 1881, was relocated to 1570 Granville Pike, Ohio University-Lancaster campus.
• Charles Holliday Bridge, built in the 1890s, was reconstructed in 1982 at its current location on the Millersport Sweet Corn Festival grounds, 2905 Chataqua Blvd., Millersport.
• George S. Hutchins Bridge, built in 1865, was reconstructed and is located at Alley Park, 2805 Old Logan Road SE, Lancaster.
• McCleery Bridge, built in 1883, was relocated to Valley Run Drive, spanning Fetters Run on the Lancaster Bike Path.
• Zeller-Smith Bridge, built in 1906, was moved to Sycamore Creek Park, 100 Lockville Road, Pickerington, in 1986.
• Several other bridges are either in storage awaiting restoration or are located on private property.

Ken Drenten is creator and editor of Dusty-Tires.com, a travel blog for out-of-the-ordinary places in Ohio.

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