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Harshaville Covered Bridge

Introduction

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The Harshaville Covered Bridge was built in 1855, before the Civil War. It is the last historic covered bridge that is still used in Adams County, Ohio. It was used to pass through the county during the Civil War by the Confederate General John Morgan and his Raiders. In 1976, The Harshaville Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.


Images

  • Closer view of the Harshaville Covered Bridge today
  • West End - Photo by Brian McKee September 2009
  • East End - Photo by Brian McKee September 6, 2009

Backstory and Context

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The Harshaville covered bridge was named for the Harsha family. Most significantly, the bridge is associated with the campaign known as Morgan’s Raid. In 1863, John Hunt Morgan and his raiders ransacked the Harshviille general store and burned many bridges; however, they spared the Harshaville Covered Bridge. After that, they used it to pass through the county during the Civil War

The Harshaville Covered Bridge was designed with timber-covered Kingpost through trust and metal siding. It was renovated in 1960, and in June 2010, the county received $100,000 from the Federal Highway Administration for further improvements. On March 18, 2013, it closed for one more renovation. Now, it is open to traffic, bringing community members and visitors closer to the history of Adams County, Ohio.

Sources

Mitchell, Wendy. "Harshaville Covered Bridge Closing March 18." Ledger Independent. 12 Mar. 2013. Web. 05 Feb. 2015 Lorrie K. Owen, ed. (1999). Ohio Historic Places Dictionary, Volume 2. Somerset Publishers. p. 3. ISBN 187859270X. Gary Brock (June 23, 2010). "Harshaville Bridge gets $100,000". The People's Defender

Additional Information