History • beauty • arcHitecture • cHarm CHESTER COUNTY’S covered bridges capture the essence of chester county’s brandywine valley. A Quick History... so what exactly is a covered bridge? Celebrate and enjoy the history, beauty, architecture, By definition, it’s a bridge in which the trusses, sides, and charm of the region’s many covered bridges — and roofs are all wood, creating an almost-complete an intrinsic part of Chester County’s landscape and enclosure across the water. While keeping you dry is a heritage. With structures standing from as early as benefit, covered bridges were built that way to protect 1850 to those rebuilt with love and attention to details the structural integrity of the bridge — left exposed, a as recently as 2002, these unique architectural wood bridge may only last 10-15 years. landmarks stand for our past and will be preserved for the future. Covered bridges were built all around the world throughout the 19th century. Philadelphia lays claim to For a picturesque tour of the region, hop in the car, the first in the United States — a bridge built in the put the windows down, and follow this trail of bridges early 1800s that once spanned the Schuylkill River by through every corner of Chester County. Discover 30th Street. the varied characteristics of Brandywine Valley’s covered bridges, such as the “Burr” truss, step At their peak as many as 12,000 covered bridges portals, and how bridges were named. Search for existed in the U.S., but once more affordable and Chester County’s three white covered bridges, the durable materials came into fashion, the number “two-span” bridge, the oldest, and the most dropped, and quickly; there were less than 1,500 by photographed. Revel in the magic that unfolds the 1950s. Here in Pennsylvania 219 remain, the most throughout Chester County’s beautiful countryside. of any state. 2 u n n y t u t y o n C u 724 363 s o R rk C Knauertown 113 e er i 76 B st SPRING CITY v 29 he er C 23 Elverson 23 Warwick 100 County Park 422 MORGANTOWN 401 12 11 322 10 23 10 363 82 Kimberton PHOENIXVILLEPHOENIXVILLE Ludwigs 113 Betzwood Corner 23 29 401 y 282 t Valley Forge y Honey Brook t n n u u Nat'l Historic o Chester Springs o Eagle C C r Park r e 322 t e t s Springton 9 s 76 a e c h n Manor Park Trail a C 76 L M Marsh Creek ty o n n u y t State Park Co nt g Lionville r u o 202 252 te o m es C Lyndell h re e C a r Devon law y 100 e C 340 D 113 PAOLI Hibernia Frazer 30 82 322 30 Compass County Park Malvern EXTON 202 10 340 DOWNINGTOWNE a 352 s 252 t 30 30 BUS B r 30 a 8 n c COATESVILLE 322 h WESTWEST We st CHESTER B 7 r a n 3 c PARKESBURG h Atglen 82 Marshallton Ridley Creek State Park 842 Gradyville 322 926 S 41 6 Embreeville 52 Westtown 476 10 Doe Run 162 Media 841 Franklin to Philadelphia Dilworthtown Center 52 1 Unionville 352 842 82 252 Concordville 926 1 896 London 41 LONGWOOD 926 Grove Chadds Ford 322 k 202 e 5 Toughkenamon Mendenhall e 472 r Russellville 796 C Fairville KENNETTKENNETT PEN C 1 N o SY B m LV a 4 A r m D N r Avondale SQUARESQSQUASQUAR ELA IA 95 y o 10 B WA ( B d R T r o r E o i r l d e Centreville a l g n ) e West Grove d y 41 w N 322 3 841 52 i n e B 82 a r 100 a OXFORDOXFORD r o Hockessin Montchanin 130 ct New London r 1 Greenville e O v 012i 345 ty 141 R 896 n u 95 e ty o r 2 n C a Miles u R le o t i w C s v a a r e e C 48 l t r e s w 1 e e D Nottingham 472 h N 495 C 41 Nottingham 272 7 141 County Park Landenberg WILMINGTON 4 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Knox Bridge closed at time of publication 1. the rudolph and arthur bridge | New London, PA 7. Harmony Hill bridge | West Chester, PA The bridge was originally built in 1880 near the site The bridge, built in 1872 by Edward Hall and of a paper firm owned by the Rudolph and Arthur Thomas Schull, is also known as Gibson's Bridge. families, hence the name. The bridge crosses over It is a 78-foot-long Burr truss bridge and crosses Big Elk Creek, and is still open to vehicle traffic today. over the east branch of the Brandywine Creek. The bridge is one of Chester County’s three white GPS: N39 97 63, W75 68 13 bridges. GPS: N39 44 73, W75 52 93 8. bartram bridge | Newtown Square, PA 2. Linton stephens bridge | New London, PA This bridge spans the county line between Delaware The Linton Stephens Bridge was built in 1886 by and Chester Counties over Crum Creek. Built in 1860 J. Denithorne & Son as a small footbridge. The bridge and restored in 1970, Bartram Bridge has unique is named in honor of Linton Stephens, the then slanted plank portals, the only bridge in Pennsylvania postmaster of the town of Hickory Hill. with this unusual design. * Limited accessibility. GPS: N39 45 23, W75 54 45 GPS: N39 59 19, W75 68 13 3. Pine grove bridge | Oxford, PA 9. Larkin bridge (thomson bridge) | Eagle, PA After two earlier bridges were destroyed by weather, The original structure was built in 1854 by Menander the bridge standing today was built in 1884 by Elias and Ferdinand Wood, and was later rebuilt in 1881. McMellen and was a primary route between New The bridge is named for Jesse Larkin, owner of a grist York and Washington in the late 19th century. This mill not far from the bridge. The bridge was relocated bridge is the longest in Chester County, and is named in April of 2006 and is now a pedestrian-only bridge after a nearby grove of pine trees. accessible only via a walking path. GPS: N39, 47 61, W76 02 66 GPS: N40 04 95, W75 41 13 4. smith bridge | Winterthur, DE 10. rapps dam bridge | Phoenixville, PA Arsoned in 1961 and replaced with an open span, This bridge was named for George A. Rapp and his Smith was a “lost treasure” for 40 years. The new sons, who operated a sawmill and a gristmill just Smith Bridge was rebuilt in 2002. When searching for south of the bridge. The structure was built in 1866 Smith Bridge, be sure to use the nearby First State by Benjamin F. Hartman and spans French Creek. National Historic Park as an indicator that you’re GPS: N40 08 29, W75 33 17 getting close. 11. Kennedy bridge | Kimberton, PA GPS: N39 83 77, W75 58 66 The original bridge was built in 1856 by Alex and 5. glen Hope bridge | West Grove, PA Jesse King. However, a plaque inside the bridge reads The structure was built in 1889 by Menander Wood “Built in 1856 by Len Kennedy and Jesse King… and George E. Jones and spans Little Elk Creek. In Refurbished in 1979…Destroyed by fire on May 10, 1987 the structure was destroyed by a fire, but has 1986…Refurbished in 1987.” When rebuilding, the since been reconstructed. The bridge can be found constructors used bongossi, a non-flammable between Glen Hope Road and Blake Road. wood from Africa. GPS: N39 43 62, W75 54 45 GPS: N40 08 52, W75 34 58 (No parking available) 6. mercers mill bridge | Christiana, PA 12. sheeder Hall bridge | Chester Springs, PA The Mercers Mill Bridge connects West Fallowfield The bridge was built in 1850 by Robert Russell Township, Chester County, Sadsbury Township, and and Jacob Fox, and is the oldest covered bridge in Lancaster County, and was built in 1880. It was Chester County. It was named for two well-known named for Captain John Mercer, a farmer and mill families that lived nearby. The bridge is easily owner on the Lancaster side of the bridge. recognizable as it runs across French Creek and has GPS: N39 55 89, W75 58 89 distinctive “step” portals. GPS: N40 04 86, W75 37 24.