The Cox Covered Bridge

The Cox Covered Bridge was built in 1884 by the Diltz and Steel Company using a variation of the Vinton County Queenpost truss system. In late August 1992, workers from the Vinton County Engineer's office moved the bridge 20 feet north onto new concrete foundations by jacking up its ends, placing metal runners beneath them, laying greased plywood strips along both banks of the creek, and using steel cables attached to front loaders to pull it onto its new site. Today it provides a place to picnic, enjoy Vinton County's scenic beauty, and reflect on days gone by. More than 60 covered bridges once carried people over Vinton County's streams and rivers, but only five survive today: the Arbaugh, Bay, Cox, Mt. Olive, and Ponn bridges. Covered bridges used trusses, usually frameworks of beams connected in triangles, and builders in Vinton County favored variations of the Kingpost and Queenpost designs. Their roofs protected the trusses from weather, helping keep the bridges safe for generations. Covered bridges also served as "kissing bridges" and "wishing bridges," with their dark interiors associated with spooning and with wishes said to come true. On October 23, 2004, people of Vinton County joined together for Make A Difference Day 2004 to repair and renew the Cox Covered Bridge through the Cox Covered Bridge Preservation Project, supported by a grant from Ohio's Hill Country Heritage Area and the Ohio Governor's Office of Appalachia and by local county partners.

Ohio · United States