Covered Bridge Rambles in Perry County, PA
Part 2
Perry County has 14 covered bridges, including eight that span Sherman's Creek. Cumberland county has just one. The first of these rambles features the Sherman Creek bridges and Ramp Bridge in Cumberland County, and the second takes in the more northern and eastern Perry County bridges.
For these rambles we relied on our satellite positioning device, a Garmin Nüvi 650, and so instead of driving directions we will list coordinates. One source for coordinates is Robert Folk's site.
Built in 1919, this bridge, like many Perry County bridges, has a hybrid kingpost/queenpost truss. It has been bypassed, and in 1993, Evans and Evans reported that it appeared to be in private ownership, with farm implements stored inside. Probably the farmer leased rather than owned it. In 2009, as shown, it was accessible by a no-exit public road. However, it is in poor shape.
40.4242,
-77.3865
Built in 1903, Saville bridge is located just south of Saville. In 1993, Evans and Evans report that it was in quite bad shape, but it has since, fairly recently, been extensively rebuilt.
40.43767,
-77.39617
This is the most distant bridge from the others, so you may want to skip it for a quick tour. Built in 1886, Evans and Evans report in 1993 that it had been bypassed and was under restoration by the historical society. It has a multiple kingpost truss. These pictures, unlike the others, were taken in late summer of 2008.
40.5678,
-77.0150
Built in 1887, this Burr truss bridge is located on Fairground Road near Newport. In 1993, Evans and Evans report that it was leaning but it now seems in good repair.
40.4897
-77.1580
Clay's Bridge is located in Little Buffalo State Park. It was moved to this location in 1971 from a site on Little Buffalo Creek about a mile away and restored. It collapsed in 1993 in a heavy snowfall and was, again restored. We suspect it may have been shortened, with the Burr Truss altered in a triangular form -- though we have seen similar distorted Burr trusses in some other Perry County bridges. The State Park was free when we were there, and with the restored mill, millrace trail and other attractions, made a very nice stop for those who would like to see one covered bridge in this area.
40.4558,
-77.1697
Built in 1889, this bridge has recently been bypassed by a modern bridge. Our Garmin GPS device got a bit confused getting us here, perhaps again because a road in its database did not exist on the ground. Go down Delville Road until it turns away to the left (east), and make two right turns onto a spur that runs through the bridge to a parking area.
40.3637
-77.1163
