![Delta Covered Bridge 2001](deltacoveredbridge.jpg)
Winter 2001
Construction began on the Delta Covered Bridge in 1867 and
was the only
Burr-Arch-style covered bridge west of the Mississippi River.
It was
designed by Jerry Merrifield.
The bridge hovered over the North Skunk
River south of Delta.
The bridge was completed in 1869 at a cost
of $1,620.
The roof was covered by hand-hewned shakes that were
replaced with cedar shingles.
The bridge spanned 12 feet wide and 80
feet long,
built of native timbers, oak and red elm, with pine
framework.
The beams and timbers were held with wooden pegs.
The bridge
was said to be the oldest covered bridge in Iowa.
The "Pennsylvania"
arch style of the bridge has made the bridge even more historic.
It
carried traffic such as steam engines for threshing machines.
In 1955, the bridge was listed as one of 12 covered bridges in Iowa,
and the only one outside of Madison and Marion counties.
Travel though
the bridge became difficult as holes wore through.
The bridge was
rededicated on October 21, 1956,
and the Delta Lions Club and Delta
Women's Club began fundraising efforts to restore the bridge.
In 1959, the bridge was taken off the county road system and closed to
vehicle traffic.
It became a park for the Keokuk County Conservation
Department and remained a pedestrian bridge.
As flooding became a
problem, a channel was cut north in 1973 to preserve the bridge.
The bridge was then added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1974.
In 1982, it was reconstructed largely from original materials.
On September 3, 2003, around 8:30 p.m., the 136 year old bridge was
burned.
Keokuk County Sheriff Ron George said the fire was arson
and that the fire started in the middle of the bridge.
![Delta Covered Bridge](deltabridtrees.jpg)
![](../../images/brown-bar.jpg)
Below pictures donated by Mendy McAdams.
Click to enlarge.
![Delta Covered Bridge](IMG_1076_sm.jpg)
![Delta Covered Bridge](IMG_1078_sm.jpg)
![Delta Covered Bridge](IMG_1079_sm.jpg)
![Delta Covered Bridge](IMG_5877_sm.jpg)
![Delta Covered Bridge](IMG_5878_sm.jpg)
![Delta Covered Bridge](IMG_5880_sm.jpg)
![Delta Covered Bridge](IMG_5882_sm.jpg)
![Delta Covered Bridge](IMG_7291_sm.jpg)
![Delta Covered Bridge](IMG_7302_sm.jpg)
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