{"nrhp_refnum":"73001545","name":"Ponn Humpback Covered Bridge","other_names":[],"category":"structure","location":{"address":"4 mi. SW of Wilkesville over Raccoon Creek","address_restricted":false,"city":"Wilkesville","county":"Vinton County","state":"OH","lat":39.04792744100007,"lon":-82.37616083499995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1973-04-11","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Engineering"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A covered bridge carrying Geer Road over Raccoon Creek in Wilkesville Township, Vinton County, Ohio, about 4 miles southwest of Wilkesville. It was built by local contractors Martin E. McGrath and Lyman Wells and accepted by the county in December 1874.","why_significant":"The nomination calls the bridge, with its \"humpbacked\" construction, one of the longest and most unusual covered bridges in Ohio. It is one of five covered bridges in Vinton County, and the only other one of similar construction has been severely damaged and probably will not be repaired. Its setting over Raccoon Creek is also cited as adding to its worth.","narrative":"Carrying Geer Road over Raccoon Creek in Vinton County, this covered bridge was completed in 1874 by local contractors Martin E. McGrath and Lyman Wells. It is 165 feet long and 14 feet wide, with two sandstone piers near the ends and wooden trusses using Burr arches, while the end bays use queen post construction. Its slight arch, or hump, appears to have been designed for structural reasons, allowing a long unbroken span across a deep gorge rather than extra headroom for boats. In 1938 the Champion Bridge Company of Wilmington, Ohio reinforced the underside with steel channels and angles at a cost of $1,194, changing its look very little. The bridge remains open to traffic. It was recognized as one of the longest and most unusual covered bridges in Ohio, one of five in Vinton County, and the best surviving example of its humpbacked type in the county, since a similar bridge nearby is badly damaged.","period_of_significance":"1874","architect_builder":"Martin E. McGrath and Lyman Wells, local contractors","architectural_style":null,"criteria":[],"status_note":"Listed in good condition and altered; still functional, with cars able to drive through it on Geer Road. Major repair with steel reinforcement was done in 1938.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:53:10.265614-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_OH/73001545.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/73001545/912587be5f-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/73001545/912587be5f-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"JERRYE &amp; ROY KLOTZ MD","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PONN_HUMPBACK_COVERED_BRIDGE.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">JERRYE &amp;amp; ROY KLOTZ MD</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PONN_HUMPBACK_COVERED_BRIDGE.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71991806","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponn_Humpback_Covered_Bridge","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q15267405"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/ohio/vinton-county/ponn-humpback-covered-bridge-73001545/"}