When you explore the back roads around Gettysburg, you'll most likely find some great things. Just behind the Eisenhower Farm on Red Rock Road - and not that long of a stroll from Sachs Covered Bridge - is an 1886 iron truss bridge named after Dwight Eisenhower's son, John. John Eisenhower was an officer in the United States Army, served as the US Ambassador to Belgium, and was a military historian. The John Eisenhower Bridge crosses Willoughby Run, and its use is limited to bicycles and pedestrians. The 84-foot-long bridge was designed and constructed by Gibert & Smith. It is a Pratt-through truss design. Flood waters severely damaged the bridge in 1996. Two years later, the bridge was completely restored. In 2012, Adams County completed a project fully refurbishing the bridge deck. Willoughby Run Like the nearby Sachs Covered Bridge, the Eisenhower Bridge is considered haunted. It is known locally as the " Suicide Bridge ;" gho...
Built in 1873 in Mahaffey, Pennsylvania, the McGees Mills Covered Bridge is the last remaining covered bridge that crosses the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. It is also the only remaining covered bridge in Clearfield County and one of a handful along the US 219 corridor in any state the highway goes through. The McGees Mills Covered Bridge was built by Thomas A. McGee, who received an appropriation of $1,500 from the Clearfield County Commissioners to construct a replacement for a bridge spanning the West Branch of the Susquehanna River that was destroyed by a flood during the winter of 1872-1873. The 116 foot long single span Burr arch truss bridge has been protected for generations by its gabled roof, with $175 worth in local hand hewed white pine timbers having been used in its construction. Under the bridge, thousands of river rafts loaded with timber floated the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, with the last load passing under the bridge in 1938. These rafts of t...
Within the friendly confines of Pinchot State Forest in southern Lackawanna County, there are quite a few scenic areas. One of these scenic areas is the Pine Hill Vista, at the top of the Big Pine Hill at 2260 feet above sea level. As I have become more interested in seeing the various scenic vistas of the Keystone State, a recent trip to the Poconos pointed me in the direction of the Pine Hill Vista. After all, I enjoy visiting fire towers and other scenic overlooks no matter where my travels take me. Traveling along some bumpy dirt roads through the Pinchot State Forest near Thornhurst, I reached a closed gate on Pine Hill Road and walked the rest of the way up to the vista, which was about a quarter of a mile long. You also have the option visiting the Pine Hill Vista as part of a longer hike, utilizing part of the Pinchot Trail system in the process, or by following a hiking loop on a number of trails. Once you reach the summit of Big Pine Hill, you are at one of the highest...
Comments
Post a Comment