Wooddale Bridge crossed the Red Clay Creek in the community of Wooddale, northeast of Wilmington in New Castle County, Delaware. It was one of thirteen covered bridges spanning the Red Clay Creek that were identified on an 1868 map of Delaware’s covered bridges.
The bridge was a Town lattice truss bridge, based on a design developed by architect and engineer Ithiel Town, and measured approximately 72 feet in length. The original structure rested on mortared, rough-cut stone abutments topped with rock-slab-capped concrete guard walls. Its floor consisted of diagonal planking, while vertical wooden siding enclosed the sides of the bridge. Square window openings in the siding provided glimpses of the distinctive white-painted trusses within.
Built around 1850, Wooddale Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. The historic bridge was destroyed by flooding associated with Tropical Storm Henri in 2003.
The Delaware Department of Transportation rebuilt the bridge in 2007–2008, incorporating modifications designed to better withstand future flooding. The roadway was raised approximately five feet, and the openings beneath the bridge were enlarged to improve the flow of floodwater. The reconstructed bridge reopened on December 15, 2008, at a total cost of approximately $3.374 million.
Today, Wooddale Bridge stands as a reminder of Delaware’s rich covered-bridge heritage and the craftsmanship of the nineteenth century, while its reconstruction reflects the continuing effort to preserve these historic structures for future generations.
