Kirker Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Spanning the east fork of Eagle Creek in Liberty Township, this covered bridge sits about five miles southwest of West Union in Adams County, Ohio. It is a one-span wooden structure with a six-panel multiple kingpost truss, oak timbers, yellow pine siding, a sheet metal roof, projecting portals and cut stone abutments. Built on a skew across the stream, it measures roughly 64 feet long with a clear span of about 56 feet. Its exact construction date is unknown, though one source points to the late 1860s. The Ohio Highway Department renovated it in 1950, adding steel tension rods and steel floor beams. The bridge carries the name of Thomas Kirker, Ohio governor in 1807-1808 and the first permanent settler of the area. One of only two covered spans remaining in the county, it was bypassed by a new road bridge and is now kept as a historic site for pedestrians, maintained by Adams County.
Significance in brief: The bridge is named for Thomas Kirker, Ohio governor in 1807-1808 and the area's first permanent settler. It is one of only two covered spans left in Adams County. It has served the area for over a century and is an important part of the region's historic character.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 75001309, listed October 29, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SW of West Union off SR 136, West Union |
|---|---|
| County | Adams County |
| Listed | October 29, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001309 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architectural style | Multiple kingpost truss covered bridge (6 panel) |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition; bypassed by a new bridge and preserved as a historic site open to pedestrian traffic only, to be maintained by Adams County. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.78416, -83.60356 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 75001309.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q58904058
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.