HISTORY OF THE BRIDGE
2022
REBUILD EFFORTS CONTINUE
Permits were secured from four agencies: U.S. Corps of Engineers, California Water Boards, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Butte County. Quincy Engineering of Rancho Cordova, CA was hired to create engineering plans. Q&D Construction of Sparks, NV was hired to begin to rebuild the Bridge. In November 2020, Phase 1 was completed: foundations, abutments, columns, slope protection. Engineering plans for Phase 2 (flooring and trusses) were completed by Western Woods Structures of Tualatin, OR
JANUARY 2019
DECISION TO REBUILD
HRCBA continues efforts to raise $3.7 million for total rebuild. To date $1.5 million has been raised.
NOVEMBER 2020
PHASE 1 CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED - ENGINEERING PLANS FOR PHASE 2
At a meeting of 25 public and private stakeholders on January 9, 2019, it was decided to do all possible to rebuild the Honey Run Covered Bridge. When it later became clear that public funding would not be possible, two decisions were made: to transfer ownership of the Bridge to the nonprofit Honey Run Covered Bridge Association and to fund the rebuild through private donations.
On November 8th, 2018 the devastating Camp Fire burned through most of Paradise California, destroyed the historic covered bridge. The Honey Run Covered Bridge Association is planning to rebuild a replica of the bridge in the near future.
2018
BRIDGE DESTROYED BY CAMP FIRE, REBUILD EFFORTS BEGIN
ABOUT THE BRIDGE
The bridge was built with Pratt style trusses some fifty years after their invention in the 1840’s by Thomas and Caleb Pratt. The bridge is 238 feet long and its uniqueness comes from its three unequal spans of 30 feet, 128 feet and 80 feet, and because the center bridge housing is higher than that of the two sides. It is the only three span Pratt-style truss bridge remaining in the United States. Untreated Ponderosa Pine was specified by the county for compression timbers and iron rods for tension. The original wooden beams are sheathed, top and sides, with sheet metal, and it sits on twin cylindrical concrete-filled metal piers. The Honey Run Covered Bridge wis the only covered bridge in the United States with three unequal sections and is only one of eleven covered bridges still standing in California. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Community efforts led by local residents, Harley Johnson and Dr. Merritt Horning, to preserve the historical value of the Honey Run Covered Bridge, resulted in the forming of the HRCBA in 1965 and the building of the adjacent park which opened in 1972.
1972
ADJACENT PARK BUILT
1965
COVERED BRIDGE IS DAMANGED AND HONEY RUN COVERED BRIDGE ASSOCIATION IS FORMED
One-third of the Bridge on the far side was badly damaged by a brake-less, runaway truck. Butte County decided to abandon the Bridge as a vehicular bridge. The county also agreed to allow canyon residents to repair the damage, making it pedestrian-only. This led in 1965 to formation of the nonprofit Honey Run Covered Bridge Association (HRCBA), which agreed to conduct minor maintenance of the Bridge. HRCBA then purchased land to create the adjacent Bridge Park.
George Miller, Butte County agreed to pay for repairs of the bridge floor due to flood damage which amounted to about $259. In order to protect the bridge from further damage, the county approved for the bridge to be covered which took ten days and six men to complete in 1901.
1901
BRIDGE GETS COVERED
1894
FLOOD DAMAGE
During an 1894 inspection by county road overseers, George Miller, Butte County agreed to pay for repairs of the bridge floor due to flood damage which amounted to about $259.
JANUARY 3, 1887
BRIDGE OPENS TO THE PUBLIC
1886
ORIGINAL PLANS SUBMITTED