Barronvale Covered Bridge

By -
Sometimes you do in fact get lucky.  A recent 6 or 8" blanket of snow, a rare clear winter day with the temperature just around or below freezing, throw in a covered bridge and you have a nearly perfect winter scene.  Such was the case when I came across the Barronvale Covered Bridge on Christmas Eve in 2009.  The Barronvale Covered Bridge or Barron's Mill Bridge crosses Laurel Hill Creek in Western Somerset County.

The Barronvale Covered Bridge on a perfect winter day.
The bridge's origin seems to be somewhat unknown as various sources report 1830, 1846 and 1902 as the bridge's construction date.   At 162 feet, the double span burr arch truss bridge is the longest of the ten remaining covered bridges in Somerset County. The bridge is only open to pedestrians and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980.
  
Interior of the Barronvale Bridge and example of the Burr Arch Truss.
Bridge Specs:
  • Number: 38-56-03
  • Built: 1902
  • Design: Burr Arch Truss
  • Length: 162 feet
  • Crosses: Laurel Hill Creek


All photos taken by post author December 24, 2009.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Inwood Iron Bridge - Lebanon County, Pennsylvania

By -
Image
  While the number of historic iron truss and metal truss bridges has been dwindling over the years due to several factors, occasionally a bridge will be preserved for its historical value. Such is the case of the Inwood Iron Bridge, which was built in 1899 and located near Lickdale, Pennsylvania. The Inwood Iron Bridge was fabricated by the Pittsburgh Bridge Company and erected by Nelson and Buchanan of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. It is historically significant as one of the oldest surviving Pennsylvania thru truss highway bridges in Pennsylvania. Early examples of Pennsylvania (Petit) thru-truss highway bridges from before the 20th Century were not common as the design was more often used for railroad bridges. Only a handful of such roadway bridges have been identified around Pennsylvania, making the Inwood Iron Bridge more historically significant. The 151-foot-long Inwood Iron Bridge crossed Swatara Creek and was located not far from Swatara State Park in Lebanon County, Pennsylvan
Read more

Warden Mine - Elizabeth Township

By -
Image
Throughout Pennsylvania, there are numerous abandoned coal mines.  In fact, if you live in Southwestern Pennsylvania, it is quite likely that one once ran underneath your home . With the abundance of former coal mines in the area, you're bound to come across an old shaft entrance or other leftover example.  With varying degrees of difficulty, you can find these relics of an earlier industrial era.  One such remnant can be found at the intersection of Douglas Run Road and Round Hill Road in Elizabeth Township.  The entrance to the former Warden Mine sits hidden behind fill, trees, and vegetation which makes the old brick entrance best seen in winter. Entrance to the former Warden Mine on a frigid December 2008 afternoon (Adam Prince) The Warden Mine opened in 1925 and operated until July 1954.  The bituminous coal mine was owned by the Pittsburgh Consolidated Coal Company.  In addition, the mine also centralized numerous local mines.  The nearby community of Victory (Mustard
Read more

Quarryville

By -
Image
  QUARRYVILLE - Founded 1791. Named for noted quarries located here. Abram Barr is said to be the first to take limestone from the area in 1820 and the settlement of what is today Quarryville was due largely to the development of limestone quarries. By 1858, over 600,000 bushels of limestone were hauled from more than 12 quarries in the area, which employed over 100 people. Johnny Weir , a figure skater who competed for the United States Olympic teams in 2006 and 2010, grew up in Quarryville. How to Get There: Sources and Links: Quarryville Borough - Brief History of Quarryville
Read more