Warnke Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Warnke Covered Bridge carries Swamp Creek Road over Swamp Creek about two miles northeast of Lewisburg in Preble County, Ohio. Evrett S. Sherman built it in 1895 using the Childs truss, a design patented in 1846 that uses iron rods as counterbraces. The bridge is a six-panel span 51 feet 6 inches long, with vertical white pine siding, a metal roof, and stone abutments later reinforced with concrete after the 1913 flood. It replaced an iron pony truss bridge washed out by flooding. Sherman came to Preble County in 1886 to help rebuild storm-damaged bridges, and this was his last covered bridge. It is the shortest covered span in the county and is described as an outstanding example of a truss type found only in Ohio. The county replaced floor beams and the roof over the years, and repaired arson damage in 1972. The bridge still serves local residents as a crossing.
Significance in brief: The bridge is an outstanding example of the rare Childs truss, which the form says is found only in Ohio. It is also the last covered bridge built by master bridge-builder Evrett S. Sherman, and it remains an important local crossing of Swamp Creek.
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 76001518, listed October 8, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NE of Lewisburg on Swamp Creek Rd., Lewisburg |
|---|---|
| County | Preble County |
| Listed | October 8, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001518 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific date 1895) |
| Architect / builder | Evrett S. Sherman |
| Architectural style | Childs truss covered bridge |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a creek crossing and well maintained by Preble County. Repairs followed an arson attempt in January 1972. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.87388, -84.51456 (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 76001518.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7969837
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.