West Cornwall Covered Bridge | |
|---|---|
 West Cornwall Covered Bridge, spanning the Housatonic River | |
| Coordinates | 41°52′18″N 73°21′52″W / 41.87167°N 73.36444°W |
West Cornwall Bridge | |
   | |
| Coordinates | 41°52′18″N 73°21′52″W / 41.87167°N 73.36444°W |
| Area | 1 acre (0.4 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 75001923[1] |
| Added to NRHP | December 30, 1975 |
| Carries | Sharon-Goshen Turnpike (Connecticut Route 128) |
| Crosses | Housatonic River |
| Locale | Cornwall, Connecticut |
| Maintained by | State of Connecticut |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Town lattice truss bridge |
| Material | Wood |
| Total length | 172 feet (52.4 m) |
| Width | 15 feet (4.6 m) |
| No. of spans | 2 |
| Piers in water | 1 |
| History | |
| Opened | Circa 1864 |
| Location | |
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The West Cornwall Covered Bridge (an earlier incarnation was known as the Hart Bridge) is a wooden covered lattice truss bridge carrying the Sharon-Goshen Turnpike over the Housatonic River in the town of Cornwall, Connecticut. Records indicate that a bridge may have been in place in this location as early as 1762. A previous bridge was destroyed in the flood of 1837 and a new bridge was constructed in 1841. This bridge would also be destroyed and the current bridge would be completed circa 1864. Utilizing the central pier from the previous incarnation, despite the Town lattice being able to withstand the weight and single span, the bridge has two spans. The later addition of queen trusses and supports gives the bridge an unusual appearance. Modernization of the bridge in 1968 and 1973 has continued to let the bridge handle traffic. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.