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Honey Run or Carr Hill, Butte County

If you find errors in the data please contact Bill Caswell.

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Inventory Number: CA/05-04-01x
County: Butte County
Township:
Town/Village: Chico
Bridge Name: Honey Run or Carr Hill
Crosses: Butte Creek
Truss type: King, Pratt, Pratt
Spans: 3
Length: 230'
Roadway Width:
Built: 1886-1887
Builder:
When Lost: 08 Nov 2018
Cause: Burned
Latitude: N39 43.708
Longitude: W121 42.213
See a map of the area
Topographic map of the area
Directions: 1.7 miles southeast of jct CA32 on CA99, then 1.4 miles left on Skyway Rd., 4.4 miles left on Honey Run Rd., and just right.

Honey Run Grade Bridge, Chico, Butte County, CA Built 1896
Jenn Caswell Photo, August 31, 2017

Honey Run Grade Bridge, Chico, Butte County, CA Built 1896
Bill Caswell Photo, August 31, 2017

Honey Run Grade Bridge, Chico, Butte County, CA Built 1896
NSPCB Archives

Honey Run Grade or Carr Hill Bridge, Chico, Butte County, CA Built 1886-1887
Todd Clark Collection

Comments:
T22N R2E S25. The Honey Run bridge had three separate roof lines, the center section was five feet higher than the end sections. Research done during 2016-17 of Butte County newspapers, county road and engineering and other public records show the Honey Run (Carr Hill) Bridge was built in 1886 and opened to the public in January 1887. It was covered in 1901 to protect the structure and flooring. Previous stories of the demise of this first bridge in 1894 by being washed away may refer to another location. As well, the story that in May 1895, three school children attempting to ford the creek in a light wagon were swept downstream and drowned may also refer to another location. The new bridge was constructed as a result of this incident. The bridge was included in the 1955 film "Friendly Persuasion" starring Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire, and Anthony Perkins. In 1965 the bridge was damaged by a truck and slated for replacement. This prompted the formation of the Honey Run Covered Bridge Association to preserve and maintain it. Public donations raised the funds needed to repair the structure instead of replacing it. On Thursday, November 8, 2018, the bridge was consumed by a wildfire which also destroyed thousands of homes and claimed at least 9 lives.

Sources:
Morley, Griswold. The Covered Bridges of California, 1938, pages 14-15 & 91
Adams, Kramer. Covered Bridges of the West: A History and Illustrated Guide, 1963, pages 77, 133, 137
Chico Enterprise-Record, November 9, 2018
The Timeshare Beat. 'Covered Bridges of California Counties', http://www.thetimesharebeat.com/yourworld/calbridges.htm
National Society For the Preservation of Covered Bridges. Covered Bridge Topics, Volume XXV, No. 2, July 1967, page 3
National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges. World Guide to Covered Bridges, 2009, page 3

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