Eakin Mill Covered Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Eakin Mill Covered Bridge (also known as the "McLaughlin Bridge" or the "Geer's Mill Bridge") is a historic covered bridge
in Vinton County
, Ohio
, United States
. Located southeast of the county seat
of McArthur
, this bridge carries Mound Hill Road near the community of Arbaugh.
Built in 1870, the Eakin Mill Bridge was constructed across the Big Raccoon Creek by the McArthur contracting
firm of Gilman and Ward. Like many other covered bridges built in Ohio during the late nineteenth century, the Eakin Mill Bridge features the king post truss
design; unlike most others, this bridge was built with multiple king posts, enabling it to be significantly stronger than the average bridge that was built with a single king post. This sturdiness was necessitated by the Eakin Mill, a busy gristmill
along the Big Raccoon; many other covered bridges spanned the stream, but the frequent mill traffic forced the builders to use an extraordinarily strong design. Gilman and Ward built their bridge on stone pier
s and roofed it with metal; like many other covered bridges, its walls are weatherboarded
.
With the developments of modern truck transportation
, the Eakin Mill Covered Bridge became less well suited to daily operation. Many trucks crossed the bridge while carrying loads heavier than they were permitted to carry, and the bridge sustained significant structural damage; accordingly, it was closed and replaced. Nevertheless, the bridge remains in its original location, and it has been designated a historic site
. In 1976, the Eakin Mill Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, qualifying both because of its historically significant engineering and because of its place in Ohio's history
.
Covered bridge
A covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides...
in Vinton County
Vinton County, Ohio
Vinton County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 13,435. , the least populous in the state. Its county seat is McArthur. The county is named for Samuel Finley Vinton, a 19th-century United States Congressman from...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Located southeast of the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of McArthur
McArthur, Ohio
McArthur is a village in Vinton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,888 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Vinton County.-Geography:McArthur is located at ....
, this bridge carries Mound Hill Road near the community of Arbaugh.
Built in 1870, the Eakin Mill Bridge was constructed across the Big Raccoon Creek by the McArthur contracting
General contractor
A general contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and communication of information to involved parties throughout the course of a building project.-Description:...
firm of Gilman and Ward. Like many other covered bridges built in Ohio during the late nineteenth century, the Eakin Mill Bridge features the king post truss
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
design; unlike most others, this bridge was built with multiple king posts, enabling it to be significantly stronger than the average bridge that was built with a single king post. This sturdiness was necessitated by the Eakin Mill, a busy gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
along the Big Raccoon; many other covered bridges spanned the stream, but the frequent mill traffic forced the builders to use an extraordinarily strong design. Gilman and Ward built their bridge on stone pier
Pier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
s and roofed it with metal; like many other covered bridges, its walls are weatherboarded
Weatherboarding
Weatherboarding is the cladding or ‘siding’ of a house consisting of long thin timber boards that overlap one another, either vertically or horizontally on the outside of the wall. They are usually of rectangular section with parallel sides...
.
With the developments of modern truck transportation
Trucking industry in the United States
The trucking industry involves the transport and distribution of commercial and industrial goods using commercial motor vehicles . In this case, CMVs are most often trucks; usually semi trucks, box trucks, or dump trucks...
, the Eakin Mill Covered Bridge became less well suited to daily operation. Many trucks crossed the bridge while carrying loads heavier than they were permitted to carry, and the bridge sustained significant structural damage; accordingly, it was closed and replaced. Nevertheless, the bridge remains in its original location, and it has been designated a historic site
Historic site
A historic site is an official location where pieces of political, military or social history have been preserved. Historic sites are usually protected by law, and many have recognized with the official national historic site status...
. In 1976, the Eakin Mill Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, qualifying both because of its historically significant engineering and because of its place in Ohio's history
History of Ohio
The history of Ohio includes many thousands of years of human activity. What is now Ohio was probably first settled by Paleo-Indian peoples, who lived in the area as early as 13,000 BCE. Later ancestors of Native Americans were known as the Archaic peoples...
.