The Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge is a

covered bridge A covered bridge is a timber-truss bridge with a roof, decking, and siding, which in most covered bridges create an almost complete enclosure. The purpose of the covering is to protect the wooden structural members from the weather. Uncovered woo ...

that spans the Conestoga River in Lancaster County,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. A county-owned and maintained bridge, its official designation is the Big Conestoga #6 Bridge. The bridge is also known as Pinetown Covered Bridge, Nolte's Point Mill Bridge and Bushong's Mill Bridge. The bridge has a single span, wooden, double Burr arch trusses design with the addition of steel hanger rods. The deck is made from oak planks. It is painted red, the traditional color of Lancaster County covered bridges, on both the inside and outside. Both approaches to the bridge are painted in red with white trim. The bridge's WGCB Number is 38-36-05. Added in 1980, it is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

as structure number 80003527. It is located at (40.10533, -76.24817). Lititz Run joins the Conestoga River at this site.

History

The bridge was built in 1867 by Elias McMellen at a cost of $4,500. In 1972 it was destroyed as a result of flooding caused by

Hurricane Agnes Hurricane Agnes in 1972 was the costliest hurricane to hit the United States at the time, causing an estimated $2.1 billion in damage. The hurricane's death toll was 128. The effects of Agnes were widespread, from the Caribbean to Canada, ...

. Due to a tremendous response of area residents who signed a petition for its reconstruction, it was among the first covered bridges to be restored after Agnes. In the spring of 1973 the bridge was rebuilt by the nearby Amish. To prevent damage due to future flooding, they raised the bridge to above the average water line. However, the bridge was closed after flood damage sustained due to Tropical Storm Lee in 2011. The bridge was reopened in January 2014.

Dimensions

*Length:

span Span may refer to: Science, technology and engineering * Span (unit), the width of a human hand * Span (engineering), a section between two intermediate supports * Wingspan, the distance between the wingtips of a bird or aircraft * Sorbitan ester ...

and total length *Width: clear deck and total width *Overhead clearance: *Underclearance: as listed by the county government or with respect to the average water level

Gallery

Image:Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge Side 3008px.jpg, A view of the bridge from the side Image:Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge Approach 2913px.jpg, One of the approaches to the bridge Image:Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge Inside HDR 2620px.jpg, The inside of the bridge showing the Burr arch truss Image:Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge Inside Window HDR 3263px.jpg, A view from inside of the window on the side of the bridge

References

{{NRHP bridges Covered bridges in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Bridges completed in 1867 Covered bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Bridges over the Conestoga River 1867 establishments in Pennsylvania National Register of Historic Places in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Wooden bridges in Pennsylvania Burr Truss bridges in the United States

History

Dimensions

Gallery

See also

References