Meem's Bottom Covered Bridge - Covered Bridges on Waymarking.com

The Meem’s Bottom Covered Bridge is perhaps the best-known covered bridge in Virginia. It is a 204-foot single-span Burr arch truss bridge that crosses the Shenandoah River at a location known as Meem's Bottom in Shenandoah County. The bridge site takes its name from the Meem family that owned the Strathmore estate west of the Shenandoah River. 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.

Succeeding at least two other bridges, the Meem's Bottom Bridge was built in 1894 from materials cut and quarried nearby for the massive arch supports and stone abutments, which extended 10 feet below the riverbed. Records show that one bridge was burned in 1862 as Stonewall Jackson went up the valley ahead of Union General John C. Fremont, prior to the battles of Harrisonburg, Cross Keys and Port Republic. Another was washed away in a flood in 1870.

Visitors should use caution when visiting the Meem's Bottom Covered Bridge as it is still open to vehicle traffic and there is No Pedestrian Walkway inside of the bridge.

Current Condition of Bridge: In Use and Open to Vehicle Traffic Web Address: [Web Link] Description of Covered Bridge: The bridge was built in 1894 and was burned by vandals in 1976, and was reconstructed using the original timbers in 1979. The bridge is a204-foot single-span Burr arch truss bridge that crosses the North Fork of the Shenandoah River Year Built: 1894 Parking (If not at the bridge):: East side of bridge has a pull-off parking Location (Road - City - State - Country): Wissler Road, Mount Jackson, Virginia, United States

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Date Logged Log User Rating   04/22/2024 wildernessmama visited it 08/21/2016 The A-Team visited it 11/04/2014 petroypa70 visited it 03/03/2012 vhasler visited it 10/11/2011 grayliners visited it 06/06/2009 gottagetthere wrote comment for it

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