Hune Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Spanning the Little Muskingum River at Lawrence, near Dart in Washington County, Ohio, this covered bridge was built in 1877 by Marietta contractor Rollin Meredith. It is a 12-panel Long truss, about 129 feet long, with vertical board siding, a metal roof, cut-stone piers and abutments, and open wooden approach ramps at each end. The Long truss, patented in 1830, is an all-wooden design considered the first panel truss. Local tradition holds that the timber and stone came from the Hune farm. The bridge takes its name from the Hune family, early settlers whose William Hune helped establish the community of Lawrence, once home to a mill, store, school and inn. Only the bridge and the old wayside inn survive from that settlement. The bridge still carries traffic and is valued as a fine example of a now rare truss type and as the work of a noted local bridge-building family. Later research suggests a 1879 date and the earlier name Gallagher's Ford.
Significance in brief: The bridge is a good example of the now rare Long truss plan and a work of Rollin Meredith, a member of a well-known Washington County covered bridge building family. It is also tied to the Hune family, prominent settlers who helped found the community of Lawrence. It is the last survivor, with the Hune-Heldman House, of that once-busy settlement.
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 76001545, listed October 8, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2.5 mi. N of Dart on SR 34, Dart |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | October 8, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001545 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1877 |
| Architect / builder | Rollin Meredith |
| Architectural style | Long truss covered bridge |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and still carrying traffic; outward appearance has changed little, with a metal roof probably replacing original shingles. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.51075, -81.25039 (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 76001545.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5942487
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.