Building a Bridge

Building a Bridge. Industrious Labor. Oregon's rivers echoed with the sound of saws, axes, and the other industrious banging of hammers as work crews erected hundreds of bridges during the height of the covered bridge era. Bridge construction typically started with the abutments that supported the ends of the bridge. After the abutments were in place, workers constructed falsework across the river, upon which the trusses and deck were built. Once the trusses and the deck were in place and adjusted, the falsework was taken apart; salvageable pieces were saved, and the rest was broken up and discarded. Finally, the roadway was built, and the bridge was roofed and sided., Covered Bridge building from the 1800s and into the 1900s was not done by just anyone. Like today's engineers, early 19th century bridge builders specialized in covered bridge construction. Similar to blacksmiths or shoemakers, men were bridge builders by trade and a few such as A.S. Miller, Lord Nelson "Nels" Roney, and brother Miller and Walt Sorenson rose to the top as prominent covered bridge builders., Design for Light , Covered bridge architecture is simple and functional. Concerns over light and visibility along the inside passage inspired designers to incorporate distinctively shaped windows to fit in the spaces between the trusses. The bridge designers' creative efforts also affected the design of the bridge portals; a close study will discern subtle differences in style.