Root Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Root Covered Bridge is a single-span wooden covered bridge on County Road 6, about half a mile north of Decaturville in Washington County, Ohio. It crosses the West Branch of the Little Hocking River and is 70 feet 6 inches long, with vertical board siding, a metal roof and cut stone abutments. Its structure follows the Long truss plan patented in 1830, a design that was popular for about a decade before the Howe truss replaced it. The bridge was dated to 1888 and credited to Alta and Charles Meredith, local builders who also built two other Long truss bridges in the county. A later update gives the builder as Rolla Merydith, with stonework by David Gill. The bridge replaced a ford that often flooded, and it served a road once called the McConnellsville to Hills Landing State Road. It is named for the lost community of Root Town. A local covered bridge club painted it, and the bridge has since been by-passed.
Significance in brief: The bridge is built on the now rare Long truss plan patented in 1830 and was made by well-known local covered bridge builders. It also marks the vanished community of Root Town and a once heavily traveled state road. A reviewer noted its historical significance is somewhat limited, but accepted it.
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 75001552, listed March 27, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 0.5 mi. N of Decaturville on SR 6, Decaturville |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | March 27, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001552 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architect / builder | Alta and Charles Meredith (1974 form); a 1986 update names Rolla Merydith as builder and David Gill for the stonework |
| Architectural style | Long truss covered bridge |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Bridge is now by-passed (1986 update); the 1974 form describes it as unoccupied and altered, with a local club caring for it. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.34250, -81.75436 (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 75001552.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7366547
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.