Rock Mill Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Spanning a sandstone gorge about 50 feet deep on the Hocking River, this small covered bridge carries County Road 41 at Rock Mill in Fairfield County, Ohio. It is a single-span Queenpost truss, roughly 36 feet long and 15 feet wide, with low vertical-board siding, roofed windows along both sides, projecting portals, a shingle roof and cut stone abutments. Painted white, it has changed little in appearance, though the county added steel I-beams and concrete pillars. The original nomination dates it to 1849, while later research says Jacob R. Brandt built the present bridge in 1901 for $575, replacing an earlier covered structure. It takes its name from the nearby Rock Mill, built in 1824, and the two form one of only two mill and covered bridge pairings left in Ohio. It is the oldest and shortest covered bridge in the county and a frequently photographed landmark, featured on a 1965 tourism poster.
Significance in brief: The bridge and the neighboring Rock Mill are one of only two surviving mill and covered bridge combinations in Ohio. It is described as the oldest and shortest of Fairfield County's covered bridges and one of the state's most photographed. It was featured on a 1965 tourism poster.
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 76001424, listed April 26, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SR 41, Rock Mill |
|---|---|
| County | Fairfield County |
| Listed | April 26, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001424 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1849) |
| Architect / builder | Jacob R. Brandt (builder of the 1901 bridge, per 1986 update) |
| Architectural style | Queenpost truss covered bridge |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good and altered, on its original site. The county renovated it, and it now rests on steel I-beams with concrete-reinforced cut stone abutments. Owned by Fairfield County and open to the public. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.74894, -82.71332 (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 76001424.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q58904073
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.