Bennett's Mill Covered Bridge, Kentucky: The Last Wheeler Truss in the US
One of my favorite local landmarks is Bennett's Mill Covered Bridge, which crosses Tygarts Creek near the town of South Shore in northeast Kentucky.
Built in 1854, the 158-foot-long beauty is the only example of what's known as a Wheeler truss bridge in the United States, and one of 13 covered bridges still standing in Kentucky. The bridge was named after B.F. Bennett, who established a mill that once stood nearby.
During the Civil War, Union soldiers considered the bridge so important that they protected it with guns on the surrounding 800-foot bluffs.
The bridge is in Greenup County, about 35 miles north of I-64. To get there, take Exit 185 off I-64 and head north on U.S. Highway 60. When you reach Ashland, a 10-mile drive, take U.S. Highway 23 northwest along the Ohio River. In 21 miles, you'll reach State Highway 10; head west for 5 miles until you reach State Highway 7. Then drive north for .8 of a mile; the bridge is on the east side of the road.
For more information, call the Greenup County Tourism Convention Commission at 1-606-833-9098.
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Thank you so much for keping the history of covered bridges alive. My great-grandfather actually built this bridge (it might have been my great-great grandfather as my mother's side was Atkinson.) It has been the source of many a tale within my family. I truly appreciate coming across it on your website. Fondly, Bill