| Sandy Creek Covered Bridge State Historic Site | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Location in Missouri Show map of Missouri Sandy Creek Covered Bridge State Historic Site (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Location | Jefferson County, Missouri, United States |
| Coordinates | 38°17′38″N90°31′05″W / 38.29389°N 90.51806°W /38.29389; -90.51806 |
| Area | 211.78 acres (85.70 ha)[1] |
| Established | 1968[2] |
| Visitors | 168,608 (in 2022)[3] |
| Operator | Missouri Department of Natural Resources |
| Website | Sandy Creek Covered Bridge State Historic Site |
Sandy Creek Covered Bridge | |
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| Nearest city | Hillsboro, Missouri |
| Area | 9.9 acres (4.0 ha) |
| Built | 1872 (1872); rebuilt in 1886 |
| Built by | House Springs Big River Valley Macadamized & Gravel Road Co.; rebuilt by Henry Steffin[4] |
| Architectural style | Howe Truss |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000337 |
| Added to NRHP | July 8, 1970 |
Sandy Creek Covered Bridge State Historic Site is a publicly owned property inJefferson County,Missouri, administered by theMissouri Department of Natural Resources, preserving theSandy Creek Covered Bridge.[5] The bridge is one offour remaining covered bridges in Missouri, which once numbered about 30. It is a relatively rare example of aHowe truss bridge, one of three in Missouri. Thecovered bridge is named forSandy Creek, which it crosses, and was added to theNational Register of Historic Places in 1970.[6]
Jefferson County embarked on a building program following theAmerican Civil War and paid John H. Morse $2000 for the construction of Sandy Creek Covered Bridge in 1872. Six bridges were built that year along the Old Lemay Ferry Road to connect thecounty seat ofHillsboro toSt. Louis County. It was destroyed by high water in 1886, and was rebuilt for $899 by Henry Steffin using half of the original timbers and the original abutments. The bridge is 74.5 feet (22.7 m) long and 18 feet 10 inches (5.74 m) wide and has a height of 13 feet (4.0 m).[7]
The bridge came under the protection of the state parks system when the state legislature passed an act in 1967 declaring all remaining covered bridges in the state to be state historic sites. Jefferson County released the bridge to the state in 1968; a major restoration project returned the bridge to its original appearance in 1984.[7]
The bridge is open to pedestrian traffic. Thehistoric site offers picnic tables, toilet facilities, and aninterpretive display.
