In 1895, a local bridge keeper named Andy L. Ramsour built a bridge over Lyle Creek using a design he most likely found in a book. More than 130 years later, it’s the only surviving wooden example of that design anywhere, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). It sits just off US 70 east of Claremont, and you can walk across it for free.
Claremont is a little outside our usual stretch of Catawba County, but this one is close enough and important enough that we think everyone around here should know about it.
How it got built
In 1894, the Catawba County commissioners asked the owners of nearby Bunker Hill Farm to build and maintain a crossing over Lyle Creek on the old Island Ford Road. The landowners hired Ramsour, who was the keeper of the Horseford covered bridge over the Catawba River near Hickory.
The bridge was finished in 1895 as an open span, with no roof. It was covered around 1900 with wooden shingles, and those were swapped for a tin roof in 1921. The roof wasn’t there to keep travelers dry. Covered bridges were roofed to protect the timber structure from rain and rot. Staying dry was just a bonus.
What makes it special: the Haupt truss
The truss is the framework on the sides of the bridge that carries the weight. Ramsour used a design patented in 1839 by Herman Haupt, called the “Improved Lattice Truss.”
Some background: a common covered bridge design at the time was the lattice truss patented by Ithiel Town, which uses a dense crisscross of planks. Haupt’s idea was to strip out the members that weren’t really doing any work and make the whole thing more efficient. ASCE points to his use of vertical supports pinned to each of the diagonal timbers as the key difference. Haupt laid out the thinking in his 1851 book, General Theory of Bridge Construction.
The Bunker Hill bridge is built of oak, and it’s held together with oak pegs called trunnels (short for “tree nails”) instead of metal bolts.
Haupt himself is a story too. He was a Philadelphia-born engineer who went on to serve as Chief of Military Railroads for the Union Army during the Civil War. A design from his drawing board ended up on a farm road in Catawba County, built by a local man working from a book.
The recognition
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by ASCE in 2001. According to the Historical Association of Catawba County, that puts it on the same list as the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Dorton Arena.
- One of only two original covered bridges left in North Carolina. The other is the Pisgah Covered Bridge in Randolph County.
An older road than you’d think
The Island Ford Road the bridge sits on was a former Native American trail, according to the Historical Association. It also shows up in the American Revolution. After the Battle of Cowpens in 1781, General Daniel Morgan sent 531 British prisoners under guard along the Island Ford Road on their way to Virginia, and they crossed Lyle Creek at the Bunker Hill Ford.
Who takes care of it
The Bolick family owned the bridge until 1985, when they donated it to what is now the Historical Association of Catawba County. In 1994 the association restored it with Arnold M. Graton, a master bridgewright from Ashland, New Hampshire. The association still maintains the bridge and grounds today, and memberships help pay for that work.
Visiting
- Where: about two miles east of Claremont on US 70 (Highway 70, Claremont, NC 28610).
- Hours: dawn to dusk, daily.
- Cost: free.
- Rules: leashed pets are welcome (clean up after them). No fishing or kayaking.
- Questions: Historical Association of Catawba County, (828) 465-0383, or their Bunker Hill page.
Quick answers
When was Bunker Hill Covered Bridge built?
1895. The county asked for a crossing in 1894, so you’ll sometimes see that year too.
What kind of truss is it?
A Haupt truss, from Herman Haupt’s 1839 patented “Improved Lattice Truss.” It’s the only surviving wooden example of that design, according to ASCE and the Historical Association of Catawba County.
How many covered bridges are left in North Carolina?
Two original ones: Bunker Hill in Catawba County and Pisgah in Randolph County.
Can you visit it?
Yes. It’s free and open dawn to dusk every day.
Got family photos of the bridge, stories about crossing it, or memories of the Bolick farm? Send them our way. That kind of thing is what makes this site worth reading, and we’d love to add it.
Sources: Historical Association of Catawba County; American Society of Civil Engineers.
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