Quintessential Pennsylvania

  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

    A canal linking Philadelphia with the Susquehanna River across southern Pennsylvania had been in the making for quite some time. This eventually gave birth to the Union Canal, which was built between Middletown, located along the Susquehanna River near Harrisburg, with Reading on the Schuylkill River, which winds its way to Philadelphia. During the canal's construction, several land features had to be dealt with, and in the case of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, it was more practical to build a tunnel through a hill than to build a series of locks. This gave birth to the Union Canal Tunnel. The Union Canal Tunnel was a critical link connecting the eastern and western branches of the 82-mile Union Canal, which was built through the ridge dividing the Quittapahilla Creek and Clark's Run just northwest of the center city of Lebanon, Pennsylvania. It is the oldest existing tunnel in the United States, dug through 729 feet of slate rock which contained veins of limestone. Drilling for t

Jacks Mountain Covered Bridge - officially known as the G. Donald McLaughlin Memorial Covered Bridge - is the only Adams County covered bridge open for traffic.  The bridge, a burr truss design built in 1890, crosses Tom's Creek.   Only one direction of traffic can cross the bridge at a time - and the crossing is controlled by a set of traffic lights on each side.  The late G. Donald McLaughlin led efforts to restore the bridge that was designed by Joseph Smith.  The bridge was named in his honor in 1998.  Prior to that, the bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Further Reading: Jacks Mountain Covered Bridge @ CoveredBridges.net How To Get There:

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 ;" ghost hunters from throughout

Quite possibly the most historic covered bridge - or bridge - in the State of Pennsylvania, the Sachs Covered Bridge sits just outside the Town and Battle of Gettysburg. Constructed in 1852, the Sachs Covered Bridge saw both Union and Confederate troops utilize the bridge to cross Marsh Creek during the days leading up to and after the battle.  The 100-foot town lattice bridge was closed to vehicles in 1968. Sachs Covered Bridge In 1938, the Pennsylvania Department of Highways named the bridge the state's "most historic ."  Located South of the battlefields, the bridge was a key crossing for Robert E. Lee's retreating Confederate Army. Detail of the town lattice design . While the highway folks believe it is the state's "most historic" bridge, many others consider it the state's "most haunted." Over the years, there have been many alleged ghost sightings here.  Allegedly three Confederate men were hung from the bridge's rafters.  The th

FAIRFIELD - Founded 1784 .  Adams County town of about 500 residents named after Fairfield, England.  The town hosts an annual fall festival called 'Pippinfest' which is held over the last full weekend in September.   During the Gettysburg Campaign - a small cavalry battle occurred here . The Confederate victory ensured a safe route of retreat for Robert E. Lee along Hagerstown Road. How To Get There: