Nomination for Christman Covered Bridge

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev! 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM OCT 2 2 1976 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES - COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS AND/OR COMMON STREET & NUMBER _NOT FOR PUBLICATION CITY. TOWN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT X VICINITY OF Walter E. Powell STATE - PRESENT USE COMMERCIAL WORK IN PROGRESS .EDUCATIONAL _PRIVATE RESIDENCE ACCESSIBLE * RELIGIOUS OBJECT LIN PROCESS L YES: RESTRICTED -BEING CONSIDERED * _INDÜSTRIAL _OTHER: OWNER OF PROPERTY LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION REGISTRY OF DEEDS,ETC.

REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS DEPOSITORY FOR 039 TITLE DATE 135 LOCATION AGRICULTURE CODE TRANSPORTATION CLASSIFICATION ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT Columbus SCIENTIFIC MILITARY HISTORIC PRIVATE Eaton PARK COUNTY MUSEUM PH0369306 Court House Preble County NAME Preble UNOCCUPIED October 1970 Ohio BOTH Ohio Historical Society Survey of Historical Features of Southwestern Ohio SURVEY RECORDS DATE ENTERED Eaton-New Hope Road road 12) PUBLIC BUILDING(S) 1 miles northwest of Eaton FOR NPS USE ONLY DATA SHEET XSTRUCTURE RECEIVED MAR L T 1976 XYES: UNRESTRICTED PUBLIC ACQUISITION GOVERNMENT CATEGORY OWNERSHIP STATUS DESCRIPTION L ORIGINAL SITE * EXCELLENT MOVED DATE- DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

This old span has vertical, high-boarded siding, a metal roof, cut-stone abutmenta CONDITION UNALTERED FAIR The shelter panels called for in the original specifications were removed in the pression and the vertical members are the tension members. However, the Childs The structure under consideration is a one-span wooden truss covered bridge span "pointed-up" with air-emplaced sand-cement.The bridge was originally painted _UNEXPOSED The Christman Bridge presents much the same outward appearance as always.It has white as the original specifications called for three coats of white lead and roof was surely replaced before World War ll.In 196l, this replacement was in The flooring in the Christman Bridge is beech, laid crosswise with raised runmers roofed with red cedar shingles which have a life expectancy of 30 to 5o years, and removed.

On all of Sherman's Preble County covered bridges, the floor beams were who patented the Long bridge truss in 1830.Mr.Childs and his brothers acted suspended from the lower chords on 3/4 to 1 iron stirrups which later proved are later additions.The termite-infested lower chords were replaced in 1960/6l. oak beams to carry the weight of heavier trucks. Some of these floor beam CHECK ONE and projected portalse linseed oil. Some Preble County covered bridges were painted in 19i0,but it name from Horace Childs of Henniker, New Hanpshire who patented it in 18l6.Mr. _DETERIORATED -RUINS -GOOD This is known as the Christman Bridge and was built in 1895 on the rare Childs The Christman Bridge was built, as stated above, in 1895, a rather late year for miles northwest of Eaton in Washington Fownship section 28, Preble County, Ohio.

is not known 1f this bridge was one of them- It was painted in the 1930's by XALTERED shingles.Stone for the abutments came from a nearby quarry.This was blue Childs was a master carpenter and worked for his relative, Col. Stephan Long limestone with lime and sand mortar. Where necessary, the abutments have been truss features iron rods which are used as counterbraces. The truss takes its The Childs truss is very like the basic multiple king- and queenpost according to Seth S.

Schlotterbeck, former Preble County Maintenance Engineer, the building Childs truss covered bridges to replace the bridges that were lost in trusses in that it employs the triangular form with the diagonal members in com- beams of Sherman's Preble County covered bridges had been replaced with oak and turn replaced by aluminum raised-sean roofing laid right on top of the old wood is no record of any Childs truss bridge being built by Mr. Childs or anyone else ning Seven Mile Creek on the Eaton-New Hope Road (county road l2), one and a half additions were new and some were oak beams salvaged from bridges that had been until Evrett E.Sherman built one in 1874 in Delaware County, Ohio.Mr.Sherman the WPA and again in 196l by the county.In the 1920's most of the pine floor truss plan. 100i long overall with a clear span of 8l'.The roadway width is 15' and the over- the storm. AREAS OF

Statement of significance

who came to Preble County, Chio in 1886 from Delaware County, Ohio. It was in the trusses came from the firm of Cobb and Mitchell, Cadillac, Michigan, whose skil1s and the maintenance skills of the Preble County Engineering Department- 1700-1799 ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC PERIOD ARCHITECTURE ECONOMICS RELIGION EDUCATION INDUSTRY AGRICULTURE INVENTION THEATER SCIENCE SIGNIFICANCE CONSERVATION LAW TRANSPORTATION LITERATURE SCULPTURE _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _COMMUNICATIONS MILITARY _PHILOSOPHY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT the Childs truss bridge and was given several contracts to rebuild the storm- name can still be seen stenciled on the bottom of the top chords.

bridge takes its name from Solomon Christman who owned the land around the site The Christman Bridge was built in 1895 by master bridge-builder Evrett S.Sherman _COMMERCE War and was active in bridge-building in Delaware and Madison Counties.He came shire and that could be the reason he knew of the Childs truss.Mr.Sherman was County's bridges.Mr.

Sherman impressed the county officials with his model of to Preble County in 1886 following a great storm that destroyed many of Preble the only bridge to span the creek at this site even though this road was the most ventor of the Childs truss, Horace Childs, Mr.Sherman was a native of New Hamp- the only one to ever use this truss type.He came to Ohio following the Civil XENGINEERING -1500-1599 of Historic Places and is the last such span in Delaware County.Like the in- N1800-1899 _1600-1699 -1400-1499 _1900- _PREHISTORIC -MUSIC *-_COMMUNITY PLANNING important Eaton to Richmond route until 1840 when the Dayton-Western Turnpike 1895 ART ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC wrecked spans.He built at least twenty covered bridges in Preble County.

a half mile downstream and is blue limestone laid in mortar.he pine lumber for was built.Stone for the abutments came from the Eaton Stone Quarry about one and The Christman Bridge was the next-to-last such bridge built by Mr. Sherman. The The Christman Bridge is in a very scenic setting. It has been kept in excellent shape over the years and is an outstanding example of Mr. Sherman's bridge-building Delaware County in 1874, that Mr.Sherman first built a Childs truss covered 1969, page 133 10

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

GEOGRAPHICAL DATA VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION 11 FORM PREPARED BY Miriam Fo Wood September 17, 1975 STREET & NUMBER CITY OR TOWN 12 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS: NATIONAL - LOCAL - As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service. STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER SIGNATURE ATTEST KEEPER OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER GPO 892-453 COUNTY ZONE DATE CODE ORGANIZATION TELEPHONE Columbus STATE NORTHING Ohio NAME/TITLE Correspondance with Seth S.

Sehlotterbeck, former Preble County Maintenance Engineer 3155 Whitehead Road Ohio Covered Bridge Committee UTM REFERENCES MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES ZONE EASTING 611-279-9576 and county page 26. FOR NPS USE ONLY LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES Ketcham, Bryan Bos Allen, Richard So, Covered Bridges of the Middle West, Stephan Greene Press, 1970, Covered Bridges on the Byways of Ohio, Oxford Printing Company SHPO OCT 2 2 1976 Re-submit . KEEPER OTHER Entered Send-back HAER Maps ARCHEOLOGIST Property Review HISTORIAN Christman Covered Bridge ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN National Register Write-up REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Federal Register Entry Ohio State BRANCH CHIEF 10.13.76 718006505 Photos - 3.17.76.2777 Working Number United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WAso No.7 12-7-76 Preble o * Christman ....

PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER West portal booking east R10.22.76 Form No. 10-301a (Rev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM OCT 2 2 1976 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES --IENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH AND/OR COMMON CITY. TOWN _VICINITY OF PHOTO REFERENCE DATE OF PHOTO July 26, 1975 NEGATIVE FILED AT Columbus, Ohio 43204 DESCRIBE VIEW. DIRECTION. ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET PHOTO NO. 1 West portal, 1o0king east INT: 2983-75 Eaton LOCATION Preble IDENTIFICATION COUNTY HISTORIC STATE Ohio NAME Eaton-New Hope Road 3155 Whitehead Road Christman Covered Bridge RECEIVEDMAR 1 7 1976 PHOTo CREDIT Seth S. Schlotterb eck East portal, southside, Looking northwest 10 .22.76 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER Form No.

10-301a (Rev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RECEIVEDMAR 1 7 1976 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES --ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH AND/OR COMMON CITY, TOWN X VICINITY OF PHOTO CREDIT Seth S. Schlotterbeck DATE OF PHOTO July 26, 1975 NEGATIVE FILED AT PHOTO NO INT: 2983-75 Eaton LOCATION IDENTIFICATION HISTORIC COUNTY Preble STATE Christman Covered Bridge NAME Ohio 3155 Whitehead Road East portal, south side, looking northwest PHOTO REFERENCE Eaton-New Hope Road OCT 2 2 1976 DESCRIBE VIEW. DIRECTION. ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET Form No.

10-301 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RECEIVED MAR 1 7 1976 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- ENCLOSE WITH MAP AND/OR COMMON CITY. TOWN _VICINITY OF SOURCE U.S.GaS. Eaton North Quadrangle SCALE 1:24000 TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. PROPERTY BOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3.

UTM REFERENCES INT: 3464-75 Eaton Preble COUNTY HISTORIC Christman Covered Bridge LOCATION Ohio STATE REQUIREMENTS NAME Eaton-New Hope Road MAP REFERENCE DATE 1960 FOR NPS USE ONLY DATE ENTERED OHIO-PREBLE CO UNITED STATES RECEIVED EATON NORTH QUADRANGLE EATON NORTH, OHIO Christman Bridge DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 7.5 MINUTE SERIES (TOPOGRAPHIC MAR 1 7 976 ROAD CLASSIFICATION STATE OF OHIO Mapped, edited, and published by the Geological Survey OCT 2 2 1976 - Tod Homestead Cemetery Gate Hon. Robert Taft, Jr. Hon. John H. Gienn, Jr. Hon. Thomas N. Kindness Hon. John M.

Ashbrook INT: 2950-75 880 Location 11/1/76 Lawrence County STATE Burlington Portage County Name Store MMott/row Croton vicinity Preble County Date Entered Licking County ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER Director Regional Director, Midwest Region Christman Covered Bridge State Historic Preservation Officer Also Notified Hon. Charles J. Carney Belle Hall Covered Bridge Mahoning County The Ohio Historical Soclety Eaton vicinity Interstate 7l at i7th Avenue Dr.Thomas H. Smith Young, Thomas F., House Youmgstowm Johnston, WIlllam Co, House and General Columbus, Ohio Hon. Clarence E. Miller 43211 Hiram Hon.J. William Stanton OHIO STREET & NUMBER VICINITY OF OWNER OF PROPERTY: (Circle) FEDERAL (AGENCY NAME) : REGION: - (CIRCLE) - not applicable - 7 CONDITION - EXCELLENT "only" YES IF YES, NANE: Saved ?

FUNCTION (S): (use vocabulary words) - -entertainment TRANSPORTATION _OTHER (SPECIFY) "oldest'? YES historic district? SOUTHEAST INVENTION UNEXPOSED FEATURES: COUNTY "first" code MID ATLANTIC STATE N.ATLANTIC EXPLORATION EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY LOCATION: ECONOMICS ARCHITECTURE No access MIDWEST SIGNIFICANCE: RUINS POLITICS/GOVERNMENT DETERIORATED planning ADAPTIVE USE: Yes-unrestricted DATE: PACIFIC NORTHWEST Claims -recreation UNALTERED -socio/cultural ENGINEERING WITHIN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT? -settlement Substantially intact-l OTHER LITERATURE AGRICULTURE INTERIOR _SOCIAUHUMANITARIAN ARCHEOLUGY-PREHISTORIC unknow-4 CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT WITHIN NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK?

ADMINISTRATOR(underline) _Reconstructed ARCHEOLOGY.HISTORIC FAIR -health _CONSERVATION _RELIGION _COMMUNICATIONS LORIGINAL SITE - LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _MILITARY Unexcavated _MCVED -COMMERCE -urban & comnun -MUSIC 135 POE OCT 2 2 1976 INITIALS: WRL NAME AS IT APPEARS III FEDERAL PEGISTER: Eaton CITY. TOWN - unknown - 4 _LAW/Gov't/politics _SCIENCE DOE ENVIRONS OTHER NANES: NOTE' -GOOD addu LCCAL GOV"T COMMENTS: (include architectural information here) Seam COUNTY personal DATES: OTHER interior decorator: MUNICIPAL institutional architect/m.builder: NAMES: STATE SIGNIFICANCE:(maximum two sentences) PRIVATE ETHNIC GROUP: appropriate date) events landscape/garden designer: artist/artisan: FEDERAL AGENCY: HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT DATE(S): (label role DATE OF CONSTRUCTION (Specific date or 1/4 of century): 1895 engincer: ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: