In memory or imagination, covered bridges conjure up sights andsounds of days gone by. In Virginia, they began to dot the countryside nearly two centuries ago. Spanning rivers and streams, their number grew to the hundreds.
Eventually they gave way to their vulnerability to flood and fire,and to the technology that replaced the wooden peg with the metal bolt and the broadtimbers with narrow steel. By 1900, the overhead steel truss bridge had become the engineers' design of choice.
Escape the rush of the cities; come relax in these Blue Ridge Mountains where the pace is slower, where Southern folks treat you as a neighbor, and Appalachian culture greets you at ever turn of this crooked road.
Relatively few covered bridges survived into the early years of the 20th century. Most of them reflected the evolution in design of three pioneers in the annals of bridge construction:
- Theodore Burr, who patented the Burr arch bridge in 1817
- Ithiel Town, who patented the Town lattice design in 1835
- William Howe, who in 1840 patented a design that combined iron uprights with wooden supports.
Today in Virginia, only eight covered bridges still stand. Five have been preserved as landmarks and three are on private property. You are invited to visit these picturesque structures that span time as well as water. I am not sure why there is romance found in covered bridges, but pucker up and kiss your sweetie.
See a MAP showing bridge locations in the state. #2 and #3 are in the next county over from The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast, in fact a nice country drive out past Ferrum on The Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail (website) toward Woolwine in Patrick County. These two bridges sit over the Smith River - well known for its record brown trout. Smith River info here.
Before the 1950's the Smith River was a typical southern warm-water river originating from the high terrain of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
In the early 1950's demand for electricity and flood control in the area prompted the Army Corps of Engineers to create a dam in order to facilitate such needs. At the time, the project cost over 13 million dollars.
The construction of Philpott Dam and the subsequent formation of the Philpott Reservoir drastically changed the nature of the Smith River.
Large, stationary bodies of water such as Philpott Reservoir undergo seasonal changes of temperature called turnovers. During the summer months, the upper layer of water becomes warm while the deepest water remains very cold.
In order to produce electricity, water must be moved from the reservoir through the dam to the river below. During generation, water released from the dam to the Smith
River is a chilly 46 degrees Fahrenheit (8°C) even during the summer.
The temperatures have allowed cool water species such as trout to inhabit the Smith. However, temperature and velocity fluctuations due to water releases may have an adverse effect upon other organisms.
Just as a side note, Philpott Lake is also located in our Franklin County - there are some super swimmin' holes at this lake, hiking trails and even a public beach. It is a fairly deep lake, but the water temp is a warm 82-84 in mid-summer, perfect for a refreshing dip! Info on fishing Philpott Lake here. Map to Philpott Lake here.
To download the brochure on covered bridges, click here. To request a printed brochure on covered bridges, see the publications page on the VDOT website. Some information taken from here.
Life is too short for bad coffee... Shellie @ The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast in Rocky Mount Virginia http://www.claibornehouse.net/
