The Pine Grove 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 East Branch of Octoraro Creek on the border between Lancaster County and

Chester County Chester County may refer to: * Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States * Chester County, South Carolina, United States * Chester County, Tennessee, United States * Cheshire or the County Palatine of Chester, a ceremonial county in the North Wes ...

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 territorie ...

. It is the longest covered bridge in Lancaster County. The bridge was built in 1884 by

Elias McMellen Captain Elias McMellen (November 16, 1839 – March 2, 1916) was a bridge-maker and Captain in the Union Army. McMellen's wife’s name was Annie E. Wenditz (November 13, 1841 – April 1, 1899). They were married on September 21, 1865, and had ...

Background

The bridge has a two-span, wooden, double

Burr arch truss The Burr Arch Truss—or, simply, Burr Truss or Burr Arch—is a combination of an arch and a ''multiple kingpost'' truss design. It was invented in 1804 by Theodore Burr, patented on April 3, 1817, and used in bridges, usually covered bridge ...

design with the addition of steel hanger rods. It is the only two-span covered bridge still in use. The bridge's deck is made from oak planks. It is painted red, the traditional color of Lancaster County covered bridges on the outside, but is not painted on the inside. Both approaches to the bridge are painted in the traditional white color. The bridge's WGCB Number is 38-15-22/38-36-41. 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 v ...

as structure number 80003521. It is located at (39.7935, -76.04433).

Nearby covered bridges

* White Rock Forge Covered Bridge, about northwest on White Rock Road, via Asheville and King Pen Roads.

Gallery

File:pine_grove_covered_bridge-from above 1.jpg, Far away view from above File:Pine Grove Covered Bridge Wide Side View 3000px.jpg, Wide view File:Pine Grove Covered Bridge Three Quarters View 3008px.jpg, Three-quarters view File:Pine Grove Covered Bridge Inside 2000px.jpg, Inside of the bridge showing the double span Burr arch truss File:Pine Grove Covered Bridge Burr Arch Truss 3008px.jpg, A closeup view of one of the arches File:Pine_grove_covered_bridge-double_arch.jpeg, View of interior double arch File:pine_grove_covered_bridge-from_above_2.jpeg, View from above and to the side

References

Bibliography

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External links