{"nrhp_refnum":"75001441","name":"Byer Covered Bridge","other_names":[],"category":"structure","location":{"address":"SR 31","address_restricted":false,"city":"Byer","county":"Jackson County","state":"OH","lat":39.17952361000005,"lon":-82.63110400899996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1975-10-21","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Engineering"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A one-span wooden covered bridge crossing Pigeon Creek at Byer, Washington Township, Jackson County, Ohio, on county road 31. It was built in the early 1870s on the Smith truss plan.","why_significant":"The bridge is an example of the Smith truss, patented by Robert W. Smith of Tipp City, later Toledo, Ohio, and is one of only fifteen Smith truss bridges remaining in Ohio. It is one of only three covered spans left in Jackson County. It is also tied to the area's industrial history of coal and the Hanging Rock Iron Region.","narrative":"Spanning Pigeon Creek at Byer in Jackson County, Ohio, this single-span wooden covered bridge was built in the early 1870s. It has vertical high-boarded siding, a sheet metal roof, concrete abutments and projecting portals. The structure is a seven-panel Smith truss, with a 74-foot floor and an overall length of 82 feet. Its floor is made of diagonally laid oak planks. The Smith truss was patented in 1867 and 1869 by Robert W. Smith, and this bridge is classed as type 3, with a reinforced center panel. It was probably supplied by the Smith Bridge Company, and one source names W. H. Connery as builder. Fifteen Smith truss bridges remain in Ohio, and this is one of only three covered spans left in Jackson County. The bridge was built when coal was important locally and nearby Richland Iron Furnace was still operating. It remains in good condition, painted white like many houses in the village.","period_of_significance":"19th Century (early 1870's)","architect_builder":"Probably the Smith Bridge Company; one source says W. H. Connery was the builder; truss designed by Robert W. Smith","architectural_style":"Smith truss, type 3 (one-span wooden covered bridge)","criteria":[],"status_note":"Condition described as good; painted white inside and out; owned by Jackson County and part of the county road system.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:53:10.009494-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_OH/75001441.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/75001441/0aa80df777-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/75001441/0aa80df777-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Nyttend","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Byer_Covered_Bridge_from_north.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Nyttend</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Byer_Covered_Bridge_from_north.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71989458","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byer_Covered_Bridge","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q58904033"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/ohio/jackson-county/byer-covered-bridge-75001441/"}