Quintessential Pennsylvania

The Hassenplug Covered Bridge is a 70 foot long covered bridge located over the Buffalo Creek in Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania. The bridge was named for the Hassenplug family, who had a home nearby to the bridge. Built in 1825, it is believed to be one of the oldest remaining historic covered bridges in the United States, with only the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge in Upstate New York possibly being older as it was built the same year. The covered bridge was built with a Burr arch truss design. The covered bridge was restored or modernized in 1959. During the restoration process, the wooden deck was replaced with steel grating and a pier was added to allow for heavier vehicles to cross. The bridge is still open to traffic today on North Fourth Street in Mifflinburg, allowing for a weight limit of 6 tons. There is a small parking area at the south end of the bridge, which is also shared by the one mile long Koons Trail . How to Get There: Sources and Links: Bridgehunter.com -  Hassenplug Co...

  Spanning 75 feet across the Chillisquaque Creek on Keefer Mill Road near Washingtonville in Montour County, Pennsylvania is the Keefers Mill Covered Bridge. Also known as the Keefer Covered Bridge No. 7 in Montour County's covered bridge inventory, it is the only remaining bridge that is located entirely within Montour County, although some covered bridges cross the border of the county. The bridge was built in 1853 by George Butler at a cost of $498.00. Butler designed and built the covered bridge using a Burr arch truss design. The site of the Keefers Mill Covered Bridge was near Geringer's Mill, but not much is known of that mill. However, records do list the builder of the mill as George W. Keefer, who built a number of mills and covered bridges throughout north central Pennsylvania and it is quite possible that the covered bridge was named for Keefer. The covered bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and was rehabilitated in 1983 after sit...

   WINDSOR - Founded 1905. Formerly Windsorville. Named for Windsor, England. Early settlers to Windsor were involved in the cigar making and iron ore mining industries that had become common around York County, Pennsylvania. How to Get There: Sources and Links: Red Lion Historical Society -  Windsor Township History Windsor Township -  History

  ELYSBURG - Founded 1830. Named for Ely family, formerly Petersburg. Elysburg is best known as the home of the Knoebels Amusement Park and the Roaring Branch Tract of the Weiser State Forest. How to Get There: Sources and Links: Susquehanna River Valley - Elysburg, Pennsylvania

  Pennsylvania's longest single span is the Wertz's Red Covered Bridge, spanning over the Tulpehocken Creek and the former Union Canal (which was built in the 19th Century to connect the Schuylkill and Susquehanna Rivers). Located in Reading, it is also known as Wertz's Covered Bridge or just Red Covered Bridge, acknowledging the red color the covered bridge is painted in. The 218 foot long Burr arch truss designed covered bridge bridge was built in 1867 by Amandas Knerr at the cost of $7,450. While 37 covered bridges once crossed over various bodies of water throughout Berks County, Pennsylvania, the Wertz's Red Covered Bridge is one of five historic covered bridges that are still found dotting the county. The covered bridge was named after Wertz’s Mill, which was a prominent mill located just downstream on the west bank of the Tulpehocken Creek. Around the year 1916, the  Wertz’s Mill was destroyed by fire and today little remains of the mill. At the time of its cons...

  REFTON - Founded 1877. Founded by Daniel Herr, pioneer. Refton is located along US Route 222 in Lancaster County, between Lancaster and Quarryville. How to Get There: