Hildreth Covered Bridge
Also known as: Hills Covered Bridge; Lafaber`s Mill Bridge
Why it's listed
Spanning the Little Muskingum River about five miles east of Marietta, this wooden covered bridge is a single-span, 12-panel Howe truss. It measures 140 feet 6 inches overall, with a 14-foot roadway, vertical board siding, a metal roof and battened portals. Its cut-stone abutments and piers are original and stand high to withstand the river's floods. The Howe design, patented in 1840, used iron tension rods that could be tightened if the bridge sagged, ending the era of all-wooden trusses. Sources disagree on the date: the early 1870s, 1881, and later research indicating 1878, when Hocking Valley Bridge Works of Lancaster built it for $13 per lineal foot. It was once known as Lafaber's Mill Bridge. Signs call it the Hills Bridge, while the Hildreth name likely comes from a pioneer family that owned nearby land. It is one of three covered bridges remaining on the river in Washington County, each of a different truss type, and it still carries daily traffic.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a fine, well-preserved example of the Howe truss, which used iron tension rods and marked the end of the all-wooden truss. It is one of three covered bridges left on the Little Muskingum in the county, each with a different truss type. A 1986 update gives its builder and a construction date of 1878.
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 78002211, listed February 8, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5 mi. (8 km) E of Marietta off OH 26, Marietta |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | February 8, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002211 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architect / builder | Hocking Valley Bridge Works of Lancaster, Ohio (per 1986 update); original builder otherwise unknown |
| Architectural style | Howe truss covered bridge |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In good condition and still carrying daily traffic; original cut-stone abutments and piers remain. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.42738, -81.36140 (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 78002211.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5761733
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.