Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge
Encyclopedia
Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge is a covered bridge
that spans the Conestoga River
in Lancaster County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. A county-owned and maintained bridge, its official designation is the Big Conestoga #6 Bridge. The bridge is also known as Pinetown Covered Bridge, Nolte's Point Mill Bridge and Bushong's Mill Bridge.
The bridge has a single span, wooden, double Burr arch trusses design with the addition of steel hanger rods. The deck is made from oak planks. It is painted red, the traditional color of Lancaster County covered bridges, on both the inside and outside. Both approaches to the bridge are painted in red with white trim.
The bridge's WGCB
Number is 38-36-05. Added in 1980, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as structure number 80003527. It is located at 40°6′19.2"N 76°14′53.4"W (40.10533, -76.24817).
at a cost of $4,500. In 1972 it was destroyed as a result of flooding caused by Hurricane Agnes
. Due to a tremendous response of area residents who signed a petition for its reconstruction, it was among the first covered bridges to be restored after Agnes. In the spring of 1973 the bridge was rebuilt by the nearby Amish. To prevent damage due to future flooding, they raised the bridge to 17.5 feet (5.3 m) above the average water line. However, the bridge was closed after flood damage sustained due to Tropical Storm Lee
in 2011.
Covered bridge
A covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides...
that spans the Conestoga River
Conestoga River
The Conestoga River, also referred to as Conestoga Creek, is a tributary of the Susquehanna River flowing through the center of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
in Lancaster County
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. A county-owned and maintained bridge, its official designation is the Big Conestoga #6 Bridge. The bridge is also known as Pinetown Covered Bridge, Nolte's Point Mill Bridge and Bushong's Mill Bridge.
The bridge has a single span, wooden, double Burr arch trusses design with the addition of steel hanger rods. The deck is made from oak planks. It is painted red, the traditional color of Lancaster County covered bridges, on both the inside and outside. Both approaches to the bridge are painted in red with white trim.
The bridge's WGCB
World Guide to Covered Bridges
The World Guide to Covered Bridges is a covered bridge numbering system. The system was invented by John Diehl, the chairman of the Ohio Covered Bridge Committee. The committee first used the numbering system in 1953 to publish a list of covered bridges in Ohio....
Number is 38-36-05. Added in 1980, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as structure number 80003527. It is located at 40°6′19.2"N 76°14′53.4"W (40.10533, -76.24817).
History
The bridge was built in 1867 by Elias McMellenElias McMellen
Captain Elias McMellen Captain Elias McMellen Captain Elias McMellen (b. 1839-11-16 - d. 2 March 1916, was a bridge-maker and Captain in the Union Army.McMellen's wife’s name was Annie E. Wenditz (November 13, 1841-April 1, 1899). They were married on 21 Sep 1865 and had the following children: ...
at a cost of $4,500. In 1972 it was destroyed as a result of flooding caused by Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving northeastward and ravaging the Mid-Atlantic region as a tropical storm...
. Due to a tremendous response of area residents who signed a petition for its reconstruction, it was among the first covered bridges to be restored after Agnes. In the spring of 1973 the bridge was rebuilt by the nearby Amish. To prevent damage due to future flooding, they raised the bridge to 17.5 feet (5.3 m) above the average water line. However, the bridge was closed after flood damage sustained due to Tropical Storm Lee
Tropical Storm Lee (2011)
Tropical Storm Lee was the twelfth named storm and thirteenth system overall of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, developing from a broad tropical disturbance over the Gulf on September 1. It was designated as Tropical Storm Lee the next day...
in 2011.
Dimensions
- Length: 124 feetFtFt or ft. may mean:* Foot , a unit of distance or length* Hungarian forint, the currency of Hungary* Fair Trade, the principle to give a fair price when trading* Fort, a fortified place, especially in place names...
(37.8 m) spanSpan (architecture)Span is the distance between two intermediate supports for a structure, e.g. a beam or a bridge.A span can be closed by a solid beam or of a rope...
and 133 feet (40.5 m) total length - Width: 12 feet 10 inches (3.9 m) clear deck and 15 feet (4.6 m) total width
- Overhead clearance: 11 feet 6 inches (3.5 m)
- Underclearance: 15 feet (4.6 m) as listed by the county government or 17 feet 6 inches (5.3 m) with respect to the average water level