On a recent Bay Area trip I visited the Felton Covered Bridge located on the San Lorenzo River in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
The Felton Covered Bridge specifically is located in the community of Felton and was constructed between 1892 to 1893. The Felton Covered Bridge was the first modernized road crossing of the San Lorenzo River into Felton which spans 80 feet. The Felton Covered Bridge is typically cited as the tallest Covered Bridge in the United States and stayed in service as a roadway until 1937 when a new crossing was built directly to the north. The Felton Covered Bridge was converted to a pedestrian structure and is now part of Covered Bridge Park. The Felton Covered Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1957 and underwent restoration which was completed by 1987.
The Felton Covered Bridge can be accessed from both sides of the San Lorenzo River via Covered Bridge Road. The photos below are from the western bank of the San Lorenzo River.
The tall height of the Felton Covered Bridge is best observed from the east bank of the San Lorenzo River.
This 1896 Area Map of the Santa Cruz Mountains and San Francisco Bay shows the Felton Covered Bridge crossing the San Lorenzo River in Felton.
1896 Area Map
The 1935 California Divisions of Highways Map shows the route over the Felton Covered Bridge just a couple years prior to it being replaced upstream.
1935 Santa Cruz County Highway Map
The above map shows a Southern Pacific Spur Line between Santa Cruz and Boulder Creek. Said SP line would have crossed the San Lorenzo River just south of the Felton Covered Bridge. According to bridgehunter.com the SP bridge over the San Lorenzo River was Pratt Truss that was built in 1908.
The 1937 bridge carries Graham Hill Road to CA 9 in downtown Felton. The 1937 bridge is an arch concrete design just north of the Felton Covered Bridge.
The Felton Covered Bridge specifically is located in the community of Felton and was constructed between 1892 to 1893. The Felton Covered Bridge was the first modernized road crossing of the San Lorenzo River into Felton which spans 80 feet. The Felton Covered Bridge is typically cited as the tallest Covered Bridge in the United States and stayed in service as a roadway until 1937 when a new crossing was built directly to the north. The Felton Covered Bridge was converted to a pedestrian structure and is now part of Covered Bridge Park. The Felton Covered Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1957 and underwent restoration which was completed by 1987.
The Felton Covered Bridge can be accessed from both sides of the San Lorenzo River via Covered Bridge Road. The photos below are from the western bank of the San Lorenzo River.
The tall height of the Felton Covered Bridge is best observed from the east bank of the San Lorenzo River.
This 1896 Area Map of the Santa Cruz Mountains and San Francisco Bay shows the Felton Covered Bridge crossing the San Lorenzo River in Felton.
1896 Area Map
The 1935 California Divisions of Highways Map shows the route over the Felton Covered Bridge just a couple years prior to it being replaced upstream.
1935 Santa Cruz County Highway Map
The above map shows a Southern Pacific Spur Line between Santa Cruz and Boulder Creek. Said SP line would have crossed the San Lorenzo River just south of the Felton Covered Bridge. According to bridgehunter.com the SP bridge over the San Lorenzo River was Pratt Truss that was built in 1908.
The 1937 bridge carries Graham Hill Road to CA 9 in downtown Felton. The 1937 bridge is an arch concrete design just north of the Felton Covered Bridge.
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