List of covered bridges in Columbia County, Pennsylvania

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]

The green dots are the approximate locations of the covered bridges

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 Bridge188144.5 feet (13.6 m)Queen post trussLittle Fishing Creek[1]
Davis Covered Bridge187587 feet (27 m)Burr ArchRoaring Creek[1]
Esther Furnace Covered Bridge1881101 feet (31 m)Queen postRoaring Creek[1]
Fowlersville Covered Bridge188640 feet (12 m)Queen postWest Branch Briar Creek (later moved)[1]
Hollingshead Covered Bridge No. 401851116 feet (35 m)Burr ArchCatawissa Creek[1]
Johnson Covered Bridge No. 28188261 feet (19 m)Queen trussMugser Run[1]
Josiah Hess Covered Bridge No. 1221875110 feet (34 m)Burr arch trussHuntington Creek[1]
Jud Christie Covered Bridge No. 95187663 feet (19 m)Queen post trussLittle Fishing Creek[1]
Lawrence L. Knoebel Covered Bridge188141 feet (12 m)Queen trussWest Creek (later moved)[1]
Kramer Covered Bridge No. 113188150 feet (15 m)Queen postMud Run[1]
Kreigbaum Covered Bridge187662 feet (19 m)Queen postSouth Branch Roaring Creek[1]
Parr's Mill Covered Bridge No. 10186684 feet (26 m)Burr ArchRoaring Creek[1]
Patterson Covered Bridge No. 112187582 feet (25 m)Burr trussGreen Creek[1]
Richards Covered Bridge188064 feet (20 m)Modified multiple kingpostSouth Branch Roaring Creek[1]
Rupert Covered Bridge No. 561847185 feet (56 m)Burr Arch trussFishing Creek[1]
Sam Eckman Covered Bridge No. 92187666 feet (20 m)Queen post trussLittle Fishing Creek[1]
Shoemaker Covered Bridge188149 feet (15 m)Queen post trussWest Branch Run[1]
Snyder Covered Bridge No. 17187660.2 feet (18.3 m)Burr Arch truss or Queen post trussRoaring Creek[1]
Stillwater Covered Bridge No. 1341849151 feet (46 m)Burr archFishing Creek[1]
Twin Bridges-East Paden Covered Bridge No. 1201884112 feet (34 m) and 75 feet (23 m)Queen post and Burr archHuntington Creek[1]
Wanich Covered Bridge No. 69184498 feet (30 m)Burr archLittle Fishing Creek[1]

See also

References
  1. Columbia County, 2007, retrieved July 11, 2013
  2. George Ingram (November 24, 2002), Covered treasures Columbia County, Pa.'s nearly two dozen covered bridges..., 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. http://www.lostbridges.org/report.aspx (Database. Select "Pennsylvania" for the state field and "Columbia" for the county field)
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