Skip to main content

Meems Bottom Covered Bridge in Mount Jackson, Virginia

Image
By

 


Just a stone's throw away from Shenandoah Caverns and the Route 11 Potato Chip Company in the scenic Shenandoah Valley is home to one of Virginia's historic covered bridges. The 204 foot long Meems Bottom Covered Bridge is a Burr arch truss design covered bridge that crosses over the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, just outside of the town of Mount Jackson, Virginia. This also happens to be Virginia's longest covered bridge and the only covered bridge in Virginia that is open to vehicular traffic.

The current version of the historic Meems Bottom Covered Bridge is the fourth bridge across the North Fork of the Shenandoah River at the location on Wissler Road, not far from, but hidden away from travelers passing by on nearby I-81 and US 11. The first bridge was constructed between 1867 and 1868, but was subsequently destroyed by a flood in March 1870. As a result, the bridge was replaced by 1871. The second bridge lasted longer, however, this bridge was destroyed by floodwaters in November 1877. The third bridge was constructed in 1878 and was replaced by the current structure in 1893, using materials that were cut and quarried nearby for the massive arch supports and stone abutments, which extended 10 feet below the riverbed. It was deeded to the Virginia Highway Department in the 1930's in return for assuming its maintenance. Also, there was an earlier bridge at a nearby location was destroyed by General Stonewall Jackson’s troops in 1862 during the Civil War.

The name of the Meems Bottom Bridge comes from the locally prominent Meem family, a large landowner in this part of the Shenandoah Valley. The timbers that were used to build the bridge of 1893 came from Confederate Brigadier General Gilbert Simrall Meem's former farm of Strathmore, which was located nearby to the bridge. The farm was bought by Franklin Hiser Wissler in 1891. Wissler designed the bridge and he contracted John Woods to assist in construction of the 1893 bridge, as a new bridge would provide better access to the orcharrds on his farmland. The bridge has stood the test of time to floodwaters that destroyed the earlier bridges, and during the 1930s, it was deeded to the Virginia Highway Department in return for assuming its maintenance.

The Meems Bottom Covered Bridge over the North Fork of the Shenandoah River carried traffic for more than 80 years before being burned by vandals on Halloween in 1976. After salvaging the original timbers, the bridge was reconstructed and eventually undergirded with modern steel beams and concrete piers. The bridge was reopened to traffic in 1979 and is still in use today. There is a small parking area and picnic area located next to the bridge for passive enjoyment. I was able to visit the Meems Bottom Covered Bridge on a couple of occasions during different times of the year and found it to be a worthwhile stopover when traversing around the Shenandoah Valley.


The portal of the Meems Bottom Covered Bridge.

The steel beams and concrete piers used to support the bridge. This was added to bridge during its restoration in 1979.

The original stone abutments are still used for the covered bridge.

Historical plaque found inside the bridge.

A high clearance vehicle deterrent on the tree lined Wissler Road east of the bridge.

North Fork of the Shenandoah River.

Sunrise and the Blue Ridge Mountains as seen from the Meems Bottom Covered Bridge.


One last view of the covered bridge before I depart.



How to Get There:



Sources and Links:
Scenic USA - Meems Bottom Covered Bridge
Bridgehunter.com - Meems Bottom Covered Bridge 46-82-01
Virginia Is For Lovers - Historic Meems Bottom Covered Bridge
Virginia Department of Transportation - Meem's Bottom Bridge
Virginia Association of Counties - Visit Shenandoah County and the Meems Bottom Covered Bridge
Labels:
Location: Meems Bottom Covered Bridge, Wissler Rd, Mt Jackson, VA 22842, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tulare Lake returns

By
During the winter of 2023 California experienced one of the wettest seasons in recent decades.  Enough snow and water were deposited into the Sierra Nevada Mountains that the runoff was enough to partially reform Tulare Lake within San Joaquin Valley.  Tulare Lake was once the largest lake west of the Mississippi River by surface area.  Tulare Lake has been largely dried for the past century due to irrigation divisions and upstream impoundments.  This blog will examine the history of Tulare Lake and its recent return.  Pictured as the blog cover is Tulare Lake from 19th Avenue in Kings County during early May 2023.  Tulare Lake can be seen near its maximum extent below on the 1876 P.Y. Baker Map of Tulare County .   Part 1; the history of Tulare Lake Tulare Lake is the largest remnant of Lake Corcoran.  Lake Corcoran once covered much of the entire Central Valley due to being it being located at a in natural low point from where mountain run-off would accumulate.  Lake Corcoran is thou
1 comment
Read more

Former US Route 101 through Sargent

By
  Sargent is a ghost town and siding of the Southern Pacific Railroad located in southern Santa Clara County.  The original alignment of US Route 101 was aligned through Sargent via what is now known as Old Monterey Road.  Sargent was bypassed gradually due to shifts of the alignment of US Route 101 which occurred during 1941 and 1950.  Pictured as the blog cover is a view on Old Monterey Road which is now no longer accessible to the general public.  Below is a scan of the 1935 Division of Highways Map of Santa Clara County which depicts the original alignment US Route 101 through Sargent.   Part 1; the history of US Route 101 in Sargent Sargent lies on land which was once part of Rancho Juristac.  During 1856 James P. Sargent purchased Rancho Juristac and plotted what was known as Sargent Ranch.  By 1869 the Southern Pacific Railroad coast line reached the relocated town site of Gilroy.  The Southern Pacific Railroad coast line would be constructed through Chittenden Pass by 1871 whic
Post a Comment
Read more

California State Route 60/Former US Route 60/70 through the Moreno Valley Badlands west to Riverside

By
This past month I drove California State Route 60 through the Moreno Valley Badlands westward towards the City of Riverside.  CA 60 through the Moreno Valley Badlands was once part of the corridors of US Route 60 and US Route 70. The present route of CA 60 is a 70 mile (76 counting multiplex) slice of former US 60 between downtown Los Angeles east to I-10 near Beaumont.  The vast majority of CA 60 aside from a small section in the Moreno Valley Badlands is presently a freeway grade. For me CA 60 holds some personal history as it was the route I used most frequently accessing work sites in the Inland Empire circa 2011-2013.  Despite what many others probably would say I always really enjoyed the Moreno Valley Badlands portion of CA 60.  Considering I frequently worked on US 60 through Arizona and New Mexico the route holds even more appeal.  I even have a CA 60 shield hanging up in my garage. Part 1; History of Roadways in the Moreno Valley Badlands CA 60 between B
Post a Comment
Read more