Built in 1894 by Andy Ramsour, the Bunker Hill Covered Bridge is the last remaining “Improved Lattice Truss Design” constructed of wood.
The 91-foot roof was added in 1900 and its wooden shingles were replaced by tin in 1921 to protect the structure’s timbers.
Iron was scarce and expensive. The trusses are held together by wooden pegs and adorned with lots of graffiti.
General Herman Haupt was the Chief of Military Railroads for the Union Army and originated the “Haupt’s improved lattice truss bridge,” which placed web members only where support was required, saving construction time and money.
This National Civil Engineering Landmark is one of the last two remaining covered bridges in North Carolina. It’s an obscure piece of history tucked away in the woods near Claremont and well worth the time to stop and look it over.