Restoration of the Burfordville Covered Bridge

Restoration of the Burfordville Covered Bridge. . , Why Restore A Covered Bridge? , Quite a few people asked that question when plans were made to start the restoration on Burfordville Covered Bridge. Some of the more important reasons include the following: , . Many covered bridges, including Burfordville, are architecturally unique. Although there are other Howe truss bridges in the country, not all incorporate oak keys. , . Burfordville Covered Bridge is the oldest covered bridge remaining in Missouri. , . Covered bridges were an important innovation in transportation in this country. A covered wooden bridge lasted longer, was stronger, and was more reliable than the uncovered variety. Some covered bridges are still in service after 100 years or more. , . Covered bridges are an important part of our history and our heritage. , 1908...1971 Repairs , The ravages of neglect, high water and severe weather have taken their toll over the years. Deterioration of the bridge has been caused by high waters that deposited silt and dampened the structural timbers, thus creating the right conditions for dry rot. In 1908, a contractor was paid $390 by the county to replace the roof and any defective rafters, repair the siding and wing walls, straighten the braces and rework the approaches. The highway commission again restored the bridge in 1950. This added a corrugated roof and made extensive repairs to siding, decking and approach ramp. The bridge has lost its roof more than once. In 1971, high winds removed it entirely and the park board restored the metal roof with wood shingles. , 1984 Repair , In 1984, dry rot at each end of the bridge dictated repairs. The damaged wood at each end was removed and replaced. New wood was attached to the existing timbers with metal plates. , The repairs did not conform to the original bridge design but would keep the bridge from falling into the river until a historically accurate restoration could occur. , 1998 Restoration , A major restoration of the bridge was completed in the summer of 1998. This restoration involved replacing the main timbers in the undercarriage of the bridge, including lower chords, beams and stringers. These truss members support the weight of the bridge and allow the bridge to span the 140 feet across the Whitewater River. , The original lower chord was made of yellow poplar. The timbers were fastened end to end with large oak staples called keys. Due to availability, the new chord material is treated Douglas Fir. The new timbers have been fastened end to end with metal plates. New oak keys have been added as a facade , The rot in the bridge was most prevalent in the oak keys and in portions of the poplar that had a lot of sap wood. During repairs, the iron tension rods were discovered to be rusted to the point of requiring replacement. , Although some damaged siding was replaced, every attempt was made during this restoration to retain as much of the original fabric as possible. , [image captions] , . Circa 1908 , . 1971 , . 1984 repair: The damaged lower chord at end of the bridge has been removed. Reattaching ends to the mid-section of the bridge included adding steel plates for reinforcement. , . 1998 restoration: Lower chords were replaced due to rot. The rusted iron tension rods were replaced. New lower chords are ready for installation. New oak keys are added as a façade.