List of covered bridges in Columbia County, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Columbia County, Pennsylvania, is a special place with many old-fashioned covered bridges. As of 2007, there were 21 of these unique bridges here. This makes Columbia County third in Pennsylvania for the most covered bridges in one county. Only Washington County and Lancaster County have more. Columbia County is also home to one of only two sets of "twin" covered bridges in the entire United States.
In 1962, many of these wooden bridges were starting to show their age from the weather. That's when Columbia County began working to protect and fix these important structures.
There's a group called the Columbia County Covered Bridges Association. They started in 1991 to help keep these bridges safe. Chris Young, a county commissioner for Columbia County, also supports them. He said, "When you stand on a covered bridge, you're actually going back in time." This shows how special these bridges are! As of 2002, 18 of the bridges are still used by cars and are taken care of by county officials. The rest are looked after by the Covered Bridges Association. Many people visit these bridges for fun, picnics, and even fishing.
Contents
Protecting Our Historic Bridges
Some of Columbia County's covered bridges were damaged during Tropical Storm Lee in 2011. The Josiah Hess Covered Bridge No. 122 had some damage to its abutments, which are the parts that support the bridge at each end. The Davis Covered Bridge had to close after the storm. The Rupert Covered Bridge No. 56 got a small hole in its side from a tree branch. But thankfully, these bridges are often repaired and cared for.
Where to Find the Bridges
The covered bridges that are still standing in Columbia County are spread out across at least 11 different areas called townships. For example, four bridges are in Fishing Creek Township. Five are in Cleveland Township. Greenwood Township, Jackson Township, and Franklin Township each have two bridges. The other townships in Columbia County have one or no covered bridges.
A Look Back at Bridge History
Even though there are fewer than 20 covered bridges left today, a total of 116 covered bridges were built in Columbia County over time. This means that 97 bridges have been lost or destroyed. Nine of these were lost in the 1800s. One, the Berwick-Nescopeck Covered Bridge, was destroyed in the late 1830s.
Many more bridges were lost in the 1900s. In that century, 60 covered bridges were destroyed. Two more were lost in the 2000s. Also, 17 covered bridges were lost at a time that is not known.
Columbia County's Covered Bridges List
| Name | Date built | Length | Type | Stream crossed | Image | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creasyville Covered Bridge | 1881 | 44.5 feet (13.6 m) | Queen post truss | Little Fishing Creek |  |
|
| Davis Covered Bridge | 1875 | 87 feet (27 m) | Burr Arch | Roaring Creek |  |
|
| Esther Furnace Covered Bridge | 1881 | 101 feet (31 m) | Queen post | Roaring Creek | ||
| Fowlersville Covered Bridge | 1886 | 40 feet (12 m) | Queen post | West Branch Briar Creek (later moved) |  |
|
| Hollingshead Covered Bridge No. 40 | 1851 | 116 feet (35 m) | Burr Arch | Catawissa Creek |  |
|
| Johnson Covered Bridge No. 28 | 1882 | 61 feet (19 m) | Queen truss | Mugser Run |  |
|
| Josiah Hess Covered Bridge No. 122 | 1875 | 110 feet (34 m) | Burr arch truss | Huntington Creek |  |
|
| Jud Christie Covered Bridge No. 95 | 1876 | 63 feet (19 m) | Queen post truss | Little Fishing Creek |  |
|
| Lawrence L. Knoebel Covered Bridge | 1881 | 41 feet (12 m) | Queen truss | West Creek (later moved) |  |
|
| Kramer Covered Bridge No. 113 | 1881 | 50 feet (15 m) | Queen post | Mud Run |  |
|
| Kreigbaum Covered Bridge | 1876 | 62 feet (19 m) | Queen post | South Branch Roaring Creek |  |
|
| Parr's Mill Covered Bridge No. 10 | 1866 | 84 feet (26 m) | Burr Arch | Roaring Creek |  |
|
| Patterson Covered Bridge No. 112 | 1875 | 82 feet (25 m) | Burr truss | Green Creek |  |
|
| Richards Covered Bridge | 1880 | 64 feet (20 m) | Modified multiple kingpost | South Branch Roaring Creek |  |
|
| Rupert Covered Bridge No. 56 | 1847 | 185 feet (56 m) | Burr Arch truss | Fishing Creek |  |
|
| Sam Eckman Covered Bridge No. 92 | 1876 | 66 feet (20 m) | Queen post truss | Little Fishing Creek |  |
|
| Shoemaker Covered Bridge | 1881 | 49 feet (15 m) | Queen post truss | West Branch Run |  |
|
| Snyder Covered Bridge No. 17 | 1876 | 60.2 feet (18.3 m) | Burr Arch truss or Queen post truss | Roaring Creek |  |
|
| Stillwater Covered Bridge No. 134 | 1849 | 151 feet (46 m) | Burr arch | Fishing Creek |  |
|
| Twin Bridges-East Paden Covered Bridge No. 120 | 1884 | 112 feet (34 m) and 75 feet (23 m) | Queen post and Burr arch | Huntington Creek |  |
|
| Wanich Covered Bridge No. 69 | 1844 | 98 feet (30 m) | Burr arch | Little Fishing Creek |  |
See also
- List of covered bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania
- List of covered bridges in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
- List of covered bridges of Bradford, Sullivan and Lycoming Counties
- National Register of Historic Places
