Wertz's Covered Bridge, also known as the Red Covered Bridge, is a historic wooden

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 ...

located at Bern Township and Spring Township in

Berks County, Pennsylvania Berks County (Pennsylvania Dutch language, Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Barricks Kaundi'') is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the coun ...

. The bridge is a ,

Burr 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 bridges ...

bridge, constructed in 1867. It crosses the Tulpehocken Creek. It serves as the walkway entrance to the Berks County Heritage Center, which also includes the Gruber Wagon Works. ''Note:'' This includes It is one of five covered bridges remaining in Berks County. It is the largest single-span covered bridge in Pennsylvania. The bridge was rehabilitated in 1959 from 10 April to 3 August, however, when the Warren Street Bypass opened the bridge was closed permanently on 23 October 1959. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

on 17 November 1978. From June until December 1984 the bridge was restored. The siding was replaced, several floor boards were replaced, it was jacked up, realigned, tightened, camber restored, and the rotted arch ends were replaced along with cedar roof shingles.Wertz's Covered Bridge II
/ref>

References

External links

Berks County Heritage Center
* {{NRHP bridges Covered bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Covered bridges in Berks County, Pennsylvania Bridges completed in 1867 Wooden bridges in Pennsylvania Bridges in Berks County, Pennsylvania 1867 establishments in Pennsylvania National Register of Historic Places in Berks County, Pennsylvania Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Burr Truss bridges in the United States