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Zook's Mill Covered Bridge facts for kids

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Zook's Mill Covered Bridge
Zook's Mill Covered Bridge Side View 3000px.jpg
Coordinates 40°07′49″N 76°13′54″W / 40.1302°N 76.2318°W / 40.1302; -76.2318
Locale Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Official name Cocalico #7 Bridge
Characteristics
Design single span, double Burr arch truss
Total length 74 feet (22.6 m)
History
Constructed by Henry Zook
Construction begin 1849
Zook's Mill Covered Bridge Dot Map.png
Location of the bridge in Lancaster County
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County.svg
Location of Lancaster County in Pennsylvania

The Zook's Mill Covered Bridge is a special bridge in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It crosses over the Cocalico Creek. This bridge is famous because it is a "covered bridge," meaning it has a roof and sides. Its official name is the Cocalico #7 Bridge. You might also hear it called the Wenger Covered Bridge or the Rose Hill Covered Bridge. It is located near the towns of Brownstown, Warwick, and West Earl.

About the Zook's Mill Bridge

What Makes This Bridge Special?

The Zook's Mill Covered Bridge was built in 1849 by Henry Zook. It is 74 feet (about 22.6 meters) long. The bridge uses a special design called a double Burr arch truss. This design helps make the bridge very strong. It also has steel rods to give it extra support. The floor of the bridge is made from strong oak wood.

The bridge is painted bright red, which is a common color for covered bridges in Lancaster County. Both the inside and outside are red. Even the paths leading up to the bridge are painted red with white trim.

A Bridge That Survived a Flood

This old bridge is very tough! In 1972, a huge storm called Hurricane Agnes hit the area. The water in the creek rose very high, filling the bridge with about 6 and a half feet of water. Even with all that water, the Zook's Mill Covered Bridge stood strong and was not washed away. This shows how well it was built!

A Bridge on the Big Screen

Did you know this bridge is a movie star? The Zook's Mill Covered Bridge was shown in the 1978 film The Boys from Brazil. It's pretty cool that a historic bridge from Pennsylvania made it into a Hollywood movie! The bridge is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site.

Bridge Measurements

  • Length: The main part of the bridge is 74 feet (22.6 meters) long. The total length, including the parts that connect to the land, is about 89 feet (27.1 meters).
  • Width: The part where cars drive is 13 feet 3 inches (4.04 meters) wide. The total width of the bridge is about 15 feet (4.6 meters).
  • Overhead Clearance: The height inside the bridge is 11 feet 6 inches (3.51 meters).
  • Underclearance: The space from the bottom of the bridge to the water is 9 feet 6 inches (2.90 meters).

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