Staats Mill Covered Bridge

Staats Mill Covered Bridge, "Cedar Lakes, Jackson Co (1887; Originally over Tug Fork, Big Mill Creek)"

^{Maximum Capacity: 70Contact Venue Banquet - 8 per Capacity: 70 People Masons: Quincy and Grim, masons; Builder: H.T. Hartley. Length: 97-foot. Span: 2 [formerly 1] .Type: Long.}

Built in 1887, the Statts Mill Covered Bridge originally crossedthe Tug Fork of Big Mill Creek and was named for Enoch Statts’ water-powered mill. The Staats family were early settlers to the area, arriving around 1750. The bridge was built adjacent to Enoch Statts mill and store and played an important role in the history and development of Jackson County.

Construction of the bridge was handled by the Jackson County Court, which paid a total of $1,788.35 to local craftspeople for completion of the structure.

Nearly 100 feet long, the Statts Mill Covered Bridge was constructed using the Long system, patented by Stephen Long in 1830. The distinctive feature of Long trusses are the “X”-braced diagonals in each of the panels. This bridge has 11 such panels, each eight feet seven inches long and 14 feet, three inches deep. The bridge is an impressive and historically significant example of a late nineteenth century timber-covered bridge building.

In 1983, the old bridge was moved to the FFA-FHA State Camp at Cedar Lakes, three miles from the original site and reconstructed across a pond at a cost of $104,000. It is in excellent condition and open to pedestrian traffic only.