Forry's Mill Covered Bridge

Forry's Mill Covered Bridge
Coordinates	40°03′59″N76°28′41″W / 40.06646°N 76.4781°W / 40.06646; -76.4781
Locale	Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Official name	Big Chiques #7 Bridge
Characteristics
Design	single span, double Burr arch truss
Total length	103 feet (31.4 m)
History
Constructed by	Elias McMellen
Construction start	1869
Forry's Mill Covered Bridge
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
MPS	Covered Bridges of Lancaster County TR
NRHP reference No.	80003512 [1]
Added to NRHP	December 11, 1980
Location
Interactive map of Forry's Mill Covered Bridge

The Forry's Mill Covered Bridge is the last covered bridge that spans Chiques Creek in West Hempfield in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. ^[2] A county-owned and maintained bridge, its official designation is the Big Chiques #7 Bridge. ^[3] (Chiques Creek was known as Chickies Creek until 2002). ^{[4] [5]}

The bridge has a single span, wooden, double Burr arch trusses design with the addition of steel hanger rods. The deck is made from oak planks. ^[3] It is painted red, the traditional color of Lancaster County covered bridges, on both the inside and outside. Both approaches to the bridge are painted in the traditional white color.

The bridge's WGCB Number is 38-36-28. ^[6] In 1980 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places as structure number 80003512. ^[7] It is located at 40°4′3.6″N76°28′40.8″W / 40.067667°N 76.478000°W / 40.067667; -76.478000 (40.06767, -76.47800). ^[8]

Forry's Mill Covered Bridge is located in West Hempfield Township ^[9] on Bridge Valley Road 0.4 km (0.25 mi) north of Pennsylvania route 23 5.5 km (3.4 mi) east of Marietta, ^[2] less than a mile away from Siegrist's Mill Covered Bridge. ^[9]

History

Forry's Mill Covered Bridge was originally built in 1869 by Elias McMellen ^[2] for a cost of $2969. The bridge required repairs in 1925 to its sides and floor. ^[9]

Dimensions

^[3]

• Length: 91 feet 6 inches (0.15 m) span and 103 feet (31 m) total length ^[6]
• Width:12 feet 10 inches (3.91 m) clear deck and 15 feet (4.6 m) total width ^[6]
• Overhead clearance:11 feet 6 inches (3.51 m) ^[2]
• Underclearance:12 feet (3.7 m)

Gallery

• 
  Wide view of the side of the bridge
• 
  A closeup of the side of the bridge
• 
  One of the approaches to the bridge
• 
  Inside of the bridge showing the Burr arch truss design
• 
  The underside of the bridge
• 
  A view of the bridge from the air
• 
  A side view of the bridge from the air

See also

• Burr arch truss
• List of Lancaster County covered bridges

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
2. Bickel, Hank (June 23, 2005). "Forry Mill Bridge". Covered Bridges of the Northeast USA. Retrieved August 4, 2006.
3. "Forry's Mill Covered Bridge". Lancaster County, PA Government Portal. County of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. October 30, 2001. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved July 7, 2006.
4. Geographic Names Information System, United States Geological Survey (August 30, 1990). "Geographic Names Information System Feature Detail Report: Chiques Creek" . Retrieved September 5, 2006.
5. Susan M. Zacher (July 1980). National Register of Historic Places Registration: Pennsylvania MPS Forry's Mill Covered Bridge. National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved December 23, 2025. (Downloading may be slow.)
6. Dr. Roger A. McCain. "Forry's Mill Bridge". A Guide to Old Covered Bridges of Southeastern Pennsylvania and nearby areas. Archived from the original on September 9, 2006. Retrieved August 3, 2006.
7. "PENNSYLVANIA - Lancaster County". National Register of Historic Places. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2007.
8. Travis, Dale. "38-36-28". Round Barns & Covered Bridges. Retrieved August 8, 2006.
9. "Forry's Mill Covered Bridge". Lancaster County Pennsylvania Dutch Country Official Visitors Center. Pennsylvania Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau. 2006. Retrieved July 7, 2006.