The Harrisburg Covered Bridge, a covered Queenpost pony truss, crosses the East Fork of the Little Pigeon River in Sevierville, Tennessee.
The first iteration of the crossing was the McNutts Bridge which was demolished in a flood in 1875.1 In March of that year, the Sevier County Court appointed D.W. Howard, J.H. Frame and A.E. Murphy on a commission to oversee the construction of a new crossing.
Elbert Stephenson Early was hired to design and construct the bridge.1 Early was a local resident whose family constructed the nearby Murphy Chapel and several residences. The county contributed $25 towards the rebuilding effort while the community of Harrisburg provided an additional $50. Wood and labor was donated. The Queenpost pony truss was completed in late 1875.
In 1915, a new road was constructed that bypassed the covered bridge.1 The crossing was stabilized in 1952 when a concrete pier was constructed in the center of the truss.
The Harrisburg Covered Bridge was threatened with demolition in the 1970’s.1 The Great Smokies Chapter and the Spencer Clack Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution came together to raise funds to repair and maintain the historic span and worked to get it listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The NRHP designation came in 1975.
The bridge was rehabilitated in 1983 with a new wood deck and select timber beam replacement.1
Information
- State: Tennessee
- Route:
- Type: Covered Queenpost Truss
- Status: Active - Automobile
- Total Length: 83 feet
- Main Span Length: 64 feet
- Spans:
- Deck Width: 11.4 feet
- Navigational Clearance:
Sources
- “Harrisburg Covered Bridge.” Tennessee Lodging Guide. Image Builders, 2010. Web. 12 Jan. 2016.