Skip to main content

Harpersfield Covered Bridge - Ohio

In the Ashtabula County town of Harpersfield, just a few miles south of Interstate 90, is the historic Harpersfield Covered Bridge. This Howe Truss style covered bridge, which is the third longest historic covered bridge in Ohio, was built in 1868 and spans over the scenic Grand River. One of the unique features about this covered bridge is that it is connected to a steel truss bridge, which was built in 1913 as a result of a flood in that washed away the land at the north end of the bridge. The steel span was subsequently attached as a result of that flood. At one time, OH 534 was routed to cross the bridge, but the highway was re-routed around Harpersfield onto a new alignment in 1962. The bridge features a walkway that was added during its renovation in 1991 and 1992. Today, the Harpersfield Covered Bridge is paralleled by nearby OH 534 and there is an adjacent park for visitors to enjoy the bridge and also to spend a quiet morning by going fishing.

To get there, you can take Interstate 90 to Exit 218, then go south on OH 534 for about a mile. Turn right onto OH 307 westbound, then make a left at the first intersection. There will be a sign for the Harpersfield Bridge Metropark and the park was founded in 1961 when the property surrounding the bridge was purchased by Ashtabula County from Western Reserve Properties. Head down the hill and there will be a place to park. The Harpersfield Covered Bridge is part of the Ashtabula County Covered Bridge Festival tour route, which features 19 covered bridges in Ashtabula County.

A view of the covered bridge on a quiet Sunday morning.

A walkway was added to the bridge to allow for easier pedestrian access.

A historical plaque greets visitors to the bridge and gives a little background about its history.

Looking west towards the Grand River as it makes its way to Lake Erie.

Wider angle view of both the truss bridge and the covered bridge.

View of the covered bridge through the truss bridge. There is also a small dam that is used for flood control for the Grand River.    

 
How to Get There:



Sources and Links:
Ashtabula County Metroparks - Harpersfield Covered Bridge
Bridgehunter - Harpersfield Covered Bridge
Roadfan.com - Northwest Ashtabula County

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

US Route 62 and US Route 180 in the Guadalupe Mountains

US Route 62/US Route 180 between El Paso, Texas and Carlsbad, New Mexico passes through the Guadalupe Mountains.  The Guadalupe Mountains comprise the highest peaks of Texas which are largely protected as part Guadalupe Mountains National Park.  The automotive highway through the Guadalupe Mountains was constructed in the late 1920s as part of Texas State Road 54.  US Route 62 was extended from Carlsbad through the Guadalupe Mountains to El Paso during 1932.  US Route 62 was joined in the Guadalupe Mountains by US Route 180 in 1943.  The Guadalupe Mountains comprise a portion of the 130 mile "No Services" zone on US Route 62/US Route 180 between El Paso-Carlsbad. Part 1; the history of US Route 62 and US Route 180 in the Guadalupe Mountains The Guadalupe Mountains lie within the states of Texas and New Mexico.  The Guadalupe Mountains essentially is a southern extension of the larger Rocky Mountains.  The Guadalupe Mountains is the highest range in Texas with the peak elevati

Paper Highways; unbuilt California State Route 100 in Santa Cruz

This edition of Paper Highways examines the unbuilt California State Route 100 in Santa Cruz. The History of Unbuilt California State Route 100 The route that became CA 100 was added to the State Inventory in 1959 as part of the Freeway & Expressway System as Legislative Route 287 .  According to CAhighways.org the initial definition of LRN 287 had it begin at LRN 5 (CA 17) and was defined over the below alignment to LRN 56 (CA 1) through downtown Santa Cruz. -  Ocean Street -  2nd Street -  Chestnut Street For context the above alignment would required tearing down a large part of the densely populated Santa Cruz.  A modern Google imagine immediately reveals how crazy an alignment following Ocean Street, 2nd Street, and Chestnut Street would have been. LRN 287 first appears on the 1960 Division of Highways State Map . In 1961 the definition of LRN 287 was generalized to; from LRN 5 via the beach area in Santa Cruz to LRN 56 west of the San Lorenzo River. 

New Mexico State Road 7 (Carlsbad Caverns Highway)

New Mexico State Road 7 is approximately a seven-mile highway in the Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County. New Mexico State Road 7 connects US Route 62/US Route 180 at Whites City to the visitor center of Carlsbad Caverns National Park via Walnut Canyon. The so-called Carlsbad Caverns Highway to the National Park visitor center complex was constructed following the designation of the namesake National Monument in 1923. The current iteration of New Mexico State Road 7 was designated by the New Mexico State Highway Commission during June 1929. A proposal once was once floated to connect New Mexico State Road 7 to a cavern drive which would have been blasted into Big Room. Part 1; the history of New Mexico State Road 7 What are now Carlsbad Caverns was explored in the Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County by local Jim White during 1898.  White explored the caverns via a homemade ladder and named several of the more notable rooms.  The name "Carlsbad Caverns" was derived from the