Doe River Covered Bridge is believed to be the oldest such bridge that is still in use for pedestrians. Built in 11422 at a cost of $3,000 by contractor Dr. E. E. Hunter, George Lindamood and three carpenters, it spans the river for 134 feet, resting on earth and limestone abutments.
Colonel Thomas Matson, who had engineered the elevated railroad tracks in New York City, was hired by Dr. Hunter to design the bridge and serve as construction chief.
The original structure of the bridge was made entirely of wood; primarily mountain oak and white pine beams that were hauled down the steep slopes of the mountains by draft horses and mules, weatherboard of mountain poplar, and shingles cleaved by mallet and form chestnut.
The massive pieces of oak flooring were fastened together with hand forged steel spikes and hand threaded bolts.
The bridge was termed an "engineering feat" and listed in the Historic Engineering Record. Doe Covered Bridge survived numerous floods, including the great flood of 1901, which destroyed all the other bridges in the county that crossed the Doe River. |
