Banks Covered Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Banks Covered Bridge
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Northern entrance to the bridge
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | Southeast of New Wilmington on Township 476 |
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| Nearest city | New Wilmington, Pennsylvania |
| Area | 0.1 acres (0.040 ha) |
| Built | 1889 |
| Architectural style | Burr arch truss |
| MPS | Lawrence County Covered Bridges TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 80003543 |
| Added to NRHP | June 27, 1980 |
The Banks Covered Bridge is a historic wooden bridge in Wilmington Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. It crosses the Neshannock Creek southeast of New Wilmington. This bridge was built in 1889.
Contents
What is a Covered Bridge?
A covered bridge is a special type of bridge that has a roof and sides. These coverings protect the wooden parts of the bridge from rain, snow, and sun. This helps the bridge last much longer. Imagine a giant wooden tunnel over a river!
A Special Design
The Banks Covered Bridge uses a design called a "Burr arch truss." This design was created by a man named Theodore Burr. It combines strong wooden arches with a crisscross pattern of beams called a truss. This makes the bridge very sturdy. The bridge is about 121 feet (37 m) long. It sits on stone foundations and has extra support from steel beams.
Rare Bridges in Lawrence County
Unlike some other parts of Pennsylvania, Lawrence County never had many covered bridges. There were probably only about five ever built here. Today, only two covered bridges are left in the county. These are the Banks Covered Bridge and the McConnell's Mill Covered Bridge.
The McConnell's Mill bridge uses a very rare design called a "Howe truss." But the Burr arch truss used by the Banks bridge is more common in Pennsylvania. The inside walls of the Banks bridge look similar to many covered bridges in Bucks County.
A Piece of History
Because of its importance and unique design, the Banks Covered Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This means it's recognized as a special historical site. The McConnell's Mill bridge was also added at the same time.
Images for kids
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The Banks Covered Bridge from a distance
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The eastern side of the bridge
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A view of the bridge from the northeast
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