Mt. Zion Covered Bridge

The last of seven such bridges in Washington County, Kentucky, the Mt. Zion covered bridge (or the Mooresville covered bridge) is the longest multi-span covered bridge in Kentucky. Opened to traffic on November 6, 1871, the 246 foot long bridge used Burr Arch truss type of construction, named after the truss engineer and patent holder Theodore Burr. Designed and built by Cornelious Barnes, the bridge cost the county $5,000 to construct.


The arch truss can be seen in this interior photo.

Bridges in this time period were often covered to protect the wooden timbers from the elements. They also provided shelter for travelers during storms.

Now closed to traffic, the Mt. Zion covered bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. You can still walk across this historic bridge to get a sense of what it was like to traverse the Little Beech Fork River back in the late 1800's on the way to Mooresville, Kentucky.

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