Red Run Covered Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red Run Covered Bridge |
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| Coordinates | 40°10′34″N 76°05′00″W / 40.1762°N 76.0833°W |
| Locale | Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | single span, double Burr arch truss |
| Total length | 107 feet (32.6 m) |
| History | |
| Constructed by | Elias McMellen |
| Construction begin | 1866 |
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The Red Run Covered Bridge is a special kind of bridge. It is also known as Oberholzer's Covered Bridge. This historic bridge was built way back in 1866. A builder named Elias McMellen created it.
The bridge used to cross the Muddy Creek. This creek is in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. Today, the bridge is on private land. It sits right next to the Red Run Campground. The bridge is about 107 feet (32.6 meters) long. It is also 15 feet (4.6 meters) wide.
The Red Run Covered Bridge is famous for its design. It uses a special structure called a double Burr arch truss. This design helps the bridge be very strong. The outside of the bridge is painted red. This is a common color for covered bridges in Lancaster County. The parts leading up to the bridge are painted white.
This bridge is very important to history. In 1980, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a special landmark. Its exact location is at coordinates 40.17617 degrees North and -76.08333 degrees West.
Contents
What is a Covered Bridge?
A covered bridge is a bridge with walls and a roof. They look like long, wooden tunnels. People built them to protect the wooden parts of the bridge. This way, rain and snow would not damage the wood. Covered bridges last much longer because of this protection. They are often very old and beautiful.
How Was the Bridge Built?
The Red Run Covered Bridge was built in 1866. The builder, Elias McMellen, was skilled in making these structures. He used a design called a double Burr arch truss. This design combines strong wooden arches with a crisscross pattern of beams. This makes the bridge very stable and able to hold weight. It was a clever way to build strong bridges before modern materials like steel were common.
Where is the Bridge Now?
The Red Run Covered Bridge is no longer over the Muddy Creek. It was moved to a new spot. Now, it is on private property. You can find it near the Red Run Campground. Even though it's not over the creek anymore, it's still a cool piece of history. It shows how bridges were built a long time ago.
Images for kids
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View of the front of the bridge
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Side of the bridge
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A three quarters view
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A closer view
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View from above towards river
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View from above towards campground
