Pennsylvania (I-Q)
With 200 remaining Covered bridges, it is estimated that Pennsylvania was once home to more than 1,500 Covered Bridges. However, advances in technology, types of vehicles, and the amount of traffic have reduced this number drastically.
The first covered bridge in the United States was built over the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia in 1805 and was known as the Permanent Bridge. This bridge, located along present-day Market Street (next to 30th Street Station) was destroyed by fire in 1875.
Fire (particularly arson) is one of the major causes of covered bridge loss. In recent years, several bridges have been destroyed by arson, including the Dellville Covered Bridge in Perry County.
The longest covered bridge ever built was constructed in Pennsylvania between Lancaster County (Columbia) and York County (Wrightsville). This bridge was over a mile in length and was completed in 1814. Sadly, it was destroyed by floodwaters in 1832, but it was replaced by another covered bridge 40 feet shorter in 1834. This bridge was burned in 1863 to prevent Confederate soldiers from crossing the Susquehanna.
Today, the longest covered bridge in Pennsylvania can be found in Juniata County. The Academia Pomeroy Covered Bridge is 278 feet in length.
Pennsylvania’s covered bridges are built primarily using a Burr arch-truss. This truss style was designed by Theodore Burr in 1804 and is the style used in more than half of the remaining covered bridges in Pennsylvania.
Photographed in the summers between 2000-2021.