As seen on "the Valley Pike"

Last weekend we took a drive up to Edinburg for lunch. One of the treats of that drive was finding Meem’s Bottom Covered Bridge – highlighted here. Besides the photos, this discover set me off on research about why covered bridges were built, what other bridges there are in Virginia, and other tourist trivia like that…here’s some of what I found.

From the Virginia is for Lovers site…there were more than 100 covered bridges in Virginia in the early 1900’s. Today, only eight authentic, timber covered, bridges survive and there are six you can drive on. Besides the Meem’s Bottom Bridge in Shenandoah County, the others are in Giles County (1), Patrick County (3), and Alleghany County (1).

About the Shenandoah River Bridge: “One of the best-known covered bridges is the 204-foot single-span Burr arch truss known as Meem's Bottom Covered Bridge in Mount Jackson. The Meem's Bottom Bridge was constructed in 1892-93 from materials cut and quarried nearby for the massive arch supports and stone abutments, which extended 10 feet below the riverbed. It was deeded to the Highway Department in the 1930's in return for assuming its maintenance.

This long span over the North Fork of the river carried traffic for more than 80 years before being burned by vandals on Halloween 1976. After salvaging the original timbers, the bridge was reconstructed and eventually undergirded with steel beams and concrete piers. The bridge was reopened to traffic in 1979 and is still in operation to date.” (http://www.virginia.org/site/description.asp?AttrID=40588)

Finally, from Ask.com, they were covered because wooden bridges with exposed superstructures are vulnerable to rot, so covering and roofing them protects them from the weather and they last longer.

Also of interest is the apparent prevalence of them in the hilly areas of the east coast. This was not only because the population was growing in these areas during the mid to late 1800’s, but also because mills were built in these areas to take advantage of hydropower…and of course bridges were needed for commercial transport to and from them.
The Meem’s Bottom bridge is an easy stop off of US 11, less than a half mile from the road. It’s not well marked from the south so keep an eye out!