Perrine’s Covered Bridge

The Perrine’s Covered Bridge, located over the Wallkill River, was authorized for construction on three separate occasions in 1822, 1834, and 1846, with the latter resulting in the construction of a covered Burr arch in 1850 by Rosencrans Wood. ^{1 2} Wood, who lived on a farm several miles south of the bridge, used a combination of fast-setting Rosendale cement and local bluestone for the bridge’s abutments and a mix of oak, chestnut, hemlock, and cypress for various components of the structure. ^{2 3} The structural system consisted of parallel top and bottom chords connected by diagonal members, as well as two timber arch ribs inside the truss plane, allowing the load of the bridge to be distributed between the truss and arches. ³

The Burr arch design was patented by Theodore Burr in 1817, who was a well-known and influential bridge builder in the country. ³ At the time of its construction, the Perrine’s Covered Bridge was considered to be a unique and structurally unsound design, with a predicted lifespan of only 12 years. However, its robust construction and engineering eventually served as a model for many modern bridge designs.

The Perrine’s Covered Bridge was named after James Perrine, the son of French immigrant James W. Perrin and Catherine Freer, a Huguenot descendant who operated a hotel and tavern on the south side of the Wallkill River near the bridge. ¹ The bridge facilitated travel for workers from the Tillson area of Rosendale to the multiple industrial buildings in Dashville, including wool, flour, and lumber mills.

In 1930, the Perrine’s Covered Bridge became part of NY Routes 32 and 213, but was eventually bypassed with a new alignment in 1933. ² The bridge was designated as a New York Historic Site in 1966 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. The bridge underwent rehabilitation in 1968-69 ³ and 1993, with the latter costing $195,000. ¹

Perrine’s Covered Bridge is the second oldest covered bridge remaining in the state.