Detail of the patented Town lattice truss. Treenails, or wooden pins, connect the bridge's timbers at each intersection of the truss system. This type of treenail connection was one of the reasons why Town's lattice truss bridges were so popular in New England during the first half of the 19th century. Drilling holes and pounding in treenails was more time efficient then the intricate work of the alternative mortise-and-tenon joints, allowing builders to trim labor costs.
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