The Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge is the longest wooden bridge in the United States and the longest two-span, covered bridge in the world. It is also a classic example of wooden bridge-building in 19th-century America. With copious supplies of timber at hand and a generous reserve of carpentry skills available, bridge builders in early America quickly discarded the masonry arches prevalent in the Old World. Instead, they opted for a revival of timber-truss designs dating from 14th century Europe.

The first structure crossing the Connecticut River at the site of the Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge was built in 1796 and destroyed by flood in 1824. Subsequent bridges were built in 1824 and 1849, each built higher than the last, and each washed away by flood waters.

Based on a design patented by architect Ithiel Town in 1820, the Cornish-Windsor Bridge represents the first major step in the evolution of American wooden bridges. With load-bearing joints fastened together by wooden pegs, Town’s design uses a lattice pattern that allows the load of the bridge to be distributed more evenly. Extending 460 feet across the Connecticut River and in regular use today, the Cornish-Windsor bridge continues to stand as a model of the economy and resilience of early American design.

According to en.wikipedia.org; asce.org. Source of photo: internet