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BARRACKVILLE, W.Va. (AP) - Longtime West Virginia House of Delegates Sergeant At Arms Oce Smith remembers the covered bridge fondly.
It served as a shelter, a place to fish from and the spot where the former Barrackville resident ''stole my first very affectionate kiss.''
Former and present town residents celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Barrackville Covered Bridge on Saturday.
The Marion County landmark, which spans Buffalo Creek, is West Virginia's second-oldest covered bridge. The Philippi Covered Bridge dates back one year further.
Only 13 covered bridges remain in the state.
The Barrackville Covered Bridge had been closed to traffic for fear that the structural integrity of the span would not hold up to traffic. It was replaced in 1987 with a modern bridge built just feet away.
On Saturday, state and local leaders honored Smith by unveiling a sign naming the bridge's modern replacement the ''Oce Smith Bridge.''
Smith has ''endeared himself to countless legislators, both past and present,'' said Delegate A. James Manchin, D-Marion.
The Barrackville bridge, built in 1853, was designed by architect and builder Lemuel Chenoweth, said Randolph County Historical Society President Randolph Allan.
It escaped destruction in 1863, when Confederate soldiers were torching bridges during Civil War raids. The Ice family is credited with saving the bridge by begging that it be spared because it represented the town's and their own livelihood.
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