Kingpost

WV Covered Bridges

TRUSS SYSTEMS
Kingpost & Queenpost

The early covered bridges in what is now West Virginia were built entirely out of wood. Large trees were used to make the timbers. The most important part of the bridge is the truss system. The truss is an arrangement of triangles made of small timbers which are combined to form a strong and stiff structure. In West Virginia, seven basic truss designs were used: the Long, Howe, Warren, Kingpost, Queenpost, Multiple Kingpost and the Burr Arch.

Kingpost Truss

Kingpost
The Kingpost Truss is one of the oldest and simplest truss designs. Its design can be traced to the Middle Ages. It was one of the first designs to be used in building covered bridges in West Virginia. The Kingpost truss allows spans to reach up to 40'. The Dents Run and the Fish Creek covered bridges are examples of Kingpost truss systems.

Queenpost
The Queenpost truss, a version of the Kingpost was modified by adding a horizontal cross supporting member, which allowed spans to reach 60 feet. Examples of the Queenpost truss systems are the Walkersville, Laurel Creek and the Herns Mill covered bridges.