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Covered Bridges: Not Just Pretty Artifacts

Join us for this virtual archaeology presentation! Guest speaker Dr. Jim Gibb will discuss design principles in bridge construction, with a special focus on Maryland and nearby states.

Although there are few surviving examples in Maryland, covered bridges were common in the Northeast, Middle Atlantic, and upper Midwest states during the 19th century. The roofs and walls hide variability in bridge truss design. Those designs solved a number of engineering problems, but they also represent commercial ventures. Ithiel Towne, Theodore Burr, and lesser-known bridge builders patented and marketed their designs. Why was a particular design picked for a specific situation? Best engineering solution or successful marketing or both? This illustrated talk introduces design principles in bridge construction and presents examples from Maryland and neighboring states.

Please register with an email address to receive the Zoom link the day before the event.

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