List of covered bridges in Columbia County, Pennsylvania

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The green dots are the approximate locations of the covered bridges Covered bridges in Columbia County, Pennsylvania.png
The green dots are the approximate locations of the covered bridges

As of 2007, there are a total of 21 covered bridges in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The number of covered bridges in Columbia County is the third highest number of covered bridges in any one county in Pennsylvania, behind Washington County and Lancaster County. [1] [2] Columbia County is also home to one of two sets of twin covered bridges in the United States. [1]

Contents

By 1962, a large number of the covered bridges in Columbia County were experiencing weathering. During this year, Columbia County began working on the preservation of the damaged bridges. [3]

There is an organization known as the Columbia County Covered Bridges Association that has existed since 1991 and supports the presence of covered bridges in the county. The county commissioner of Columbia County, Chris Young, is also a supporter of Columbia County's covered bridges, stating that "When you stand on a covered bridge, you're actually going back in time". [2] 18 of the covered bridges are open to vehicle traffic, as of 2002, and these are maintained by officials of Columbia County. The remainder of the bridges are maintained by the Columbia County Covered Bridges Association. A number of the covered bridges are attractions for local and regional tourism. They are also used for picnics and fishing. [2]

A number of the covered bridges were damaged during Tropical Storm Lee in 2011. Three of these bridges were the Josiah Hess Covered Bridge No. 122, the Davis Covered Bridge, and the Rupert Covered Bridge No. 56. The Josiah Hess Covered Bridge No. 122 received some damage to its abutments. The Davis Covered Bridge was closed after the tropical storm. The Rupert Covered Bridge No. 56 sustained minor damage from a tree branch that went through its side. [4]

Statistics and history

The existing covered bridges in Columbia County are spread across at least 11 townships. Out of these, four are in Fishing Creek Township, five are in Cleveland Township, two are in Greenwood Township, two are in Jackson Township, and two are in Franklin Township. The rest of the townships in Columbia County have one or zero covered bridges. [5]

While fewer than 20 covered bridges remain in Columbia County in the 21st century, a total of 116 covered bridges have been built in the county, meaning that 97 covered bridges in the county have been destroyed. Of these, nine were destroyed in the 1800s, including one, the Berwick-Nescopeck Covered Bridge, that was destroyed in the late 1830s. Considerably more covered bridges were destroyed in the 1900s. In this century, a total of 60 covered bridges were lost. Two more covered bridges were destroyed in the 21st century. Additionally, 17 covered bridges were lost at an unknown date. [5]

Table

NameDate builtLengthTypeStream crossedImageSource
Creasyville Covered Bridge 188144.5 feet (13.6 m) Queen post truss Little Fishing Creek Creasyville Covered Bridge 9.jpg [1]
Davis Covered Bridge 187587 feet (27 m) Burr arch truss Roaring Creek Davis Covered Bridge 2.JPG [1]
Esther Furnace Covered Bridge 1881101 feet (31 m) Queen post Roaring Creek [1]
Fowlersville Covered Bridge 188640 feet (12 m) Queen post West Branch Briar Creek (later moved) FOWLERSVILLE COVERED BRIDGE, COLUMBIA CO. PENNSYLVANIA.jpg [1]
Hollingshead Covered Bridge No. 40 1851116 feet (35 m) Burr arch truss Catawissa Creek Hollingshead Covered Bridge 1.JPG [1]
Johnson Covered Bridge No. 28 188261 feet (19 m) Queen truss Mugser Run Johnson Covered Bridge 1.JPG [1]
Josiah Hess Covered Bridge No. 122 1875110 feet (34 m) Burr arch truss Huntington Creek Josiah Hess Covered Bridge 14.JPG [1]
Jud Christie Covered Bridge No. 95 187663 feet (19 m) Queen post truss Little Fishing Creek Jud Christian Covered Bridge 1.JPG [1]
Lawrence L. Knoebel Covered Bridge 188141 feet (12 m) Queen truss West Creek (later moved) Lawrence L. Knoebel Covered Bridge 1.JPG [1]
Kramer Covered Bridge No. 113 188150 feet (15 m) Queen post Mud Run Kramer Covered Bridge 8.JPG [1]
Kreigbaum Covered Bridge 187662 feet (19 m) Queen post South Branch Roaring Creek Kreigbaum Covered Bridge 1.JPG [1]
Parr's Mill Covered Bridge No. 10 186684 feet (26 m) Burr arch truss Roaring Creek Parr's Mill Covered Bridge 4.JPG [1]
Patterson Covered Bridge No. 112 187582 feet (25 m) Burr arch truss Green Creek Patterson CB 112 PA.jpg [1]
Richards Covered Bridge 188064 feet (20 m)Modified multiple kingpost South Branch Roaring Creek Richards Covered Bridge 1.JPG [1]
Rupert Covered Bridge No. 56 1847185 feet (56 m) Burr arch truss Fishing Creek Rupert Covered Bridge 13.jpg [1]
Sam Eckman Covered Bridge No. 92 187666 feet (20 m) Queen post truss Little Fishing Creek Sam Eckman Covered Bridge 1.JPG [1]
Shoemaker Covered Bridge 188149 feet (15 m) Queen post truss West Branch Run Shoemaker Covered Bridge 2.JPG [1]
Snyder Covered Bridge No. 17 187660.2 feet (18.3 m) Burr arch truss or Queen post truss Roaring Creek Snyder Covered Bridge 6.JPG [1]
Stillwater Covered Bridge No. 134 1849151 feet (46 m) Burr arch truss Fishing Creek Stillwater Covered Bridge - Pennsylvania.jpg [1]
Twin Bridges-East Paden Covered Bridge No. 120 1884112 feet (34 m) and 75 feet (23 m) Queen post and Burr arch Huntington Creek TWIN BRIDGES - WEST PADEN.jpg [1]
Wanich Covered Bridge No. 69 184498 feet (30 m) Burr arch truss Little Fishing Creek Wanich C Bridge PA.jpg [1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Columbia County, 2007, archived from the original on November 27, 2013, retrieved July 11, 2013
  2. 1 2 3 George Ingram (November 24, 2002), Covered treasures Columbia County, Pa.'s nearly two dozen covered bridges..., archived from the original on January 1, 2014, retrieved July 13, 2013
  3. Covered Bridges , retrieved July 11, 2013
  4. Video clips and news on covered bridge damage due to Hurricane Lee (PDF), October 3, 2011, archived from the original (PDF) on March 3, 2016, retrieved July 13, 2013
  5. 1 2 http://www.lostbridges.org/report.aspx (Database. Select "Pennsylvania" for the state field and "Columbia" for the county field)