Jack's Creek Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Spanning the Smith River about two miles south of Woolwine, this 48-foot covered bridge was built in 1914 of heavy oak timbers. Charlie Vaughan of Buffalo Ridge constructed it from a design by Walter Weaver, who also designed the nearby Bob White Covered Bridge. The exterior uses vertical boards with more boards covering the joints, and the roofline projects at both ends to form portals supported by corner braces. The roof has open eaves, with rafters extending past the side walls. Peter C. Brammer and his son laid the crimped sheet-metal roof, reportedly because he was the only local person with the necessary tools. A community fundraising campaign led by the Woolwine Ruritan Club paid for a new roof in 1969, when the bridge was also painted, apparently for the first time. It is one of eleven covered bridges remaining in Virginia. Traffic now uses a modern bridge nearby, and the county owns the old structure.
Significance in brief: It is one of only eleven covered bridges remaining in Virginia. The nomination cites its architecture, engineering and transportation importance, and its designer Walter Weaver, who also designed the nearby Bob White Covered Bridge.
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 73002050, listed May 22, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | About 2 mi. S of Woolwine off VA 8, over Jack, Woolwine |
|---|---|
| County | Patrick County |
| Listed | May 22, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73002050 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 20th Century (specific date 1914) |
| Architect / builder | Designed by Walter Weaver; built by Charlie Vaughan of Buffalo Ridge; roof laid by Peter C. Brammer and his son R. L. Brammer |
| Architectural style | Covered bridge with Burr truss design, board-and-board vertical sheathing |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | No longer used for traffic, which crosses a modern bridge a few yards to the southwest; condition listed as fair and altered; roof replaced and bridge painted in 1969; later described as restored and a county historical site. |
| Acreage | 9 |
| Coordinates | 36.76426, -80.27330 (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 73002050.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6110840
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.