Crossing Over, Going Through

Sue Hand
3 days ago
3 min read

They began to appear about 1800 in the United States, and by 1870 our country boasted about 10,000 of them, many in Pennsylvania. They warm the hearts of antiquarians, are the focus of several associations, and have become, with increasing reverence, a sort of national monument. They are America’s covered bridges.

The often-asked and often-debated question is: WHY WERE THESE BRIDGES COVERED? Most authorities claim protection from rain or snow extended the longevity of the wooden structure. A wooden bridge uncovered only lasted about 20 years from the ravages of weather, while a bridge with protected trusses and roadbed could last 100 years or more. Secondarily, covered bridges created the effect of the safety of a barn and thus calmed horses who were easily spooked when crossing a bridge over running water. I was told it was a way to provide shelter for travelers, but I don't think a traveler would have traveled very far on a rainy day! Some say it was to keep the oiled planks on the bed of the bridge from becoming slippery in the rain. Perhaps it was an attractive style that made the bridge safer structurally. Maybe the real reason was a combination of all of these!

The fact remains that covered bridges are beautiful structures, filled with nostalgic emotion, historical significance, and engineering ingenuity. Their internal skeleton of trusses is basically triangular arrangements designed to distribute the weight of the bridge and the load carried on its deck. There are Kingpost truss arrangements, Queenpost truss arrangements, and bridges which include the Burr Arch. The outer boards on the sides, viewed from up and downstream, are the skin of a covered bridge.

R. J. Tomascik is a longtime friend, history enthusiast, and fellow artist who has personally photographed over two dozen still-existing covered bridges, mostly in the areas of Vermont, New Hampshire, and the Lancaster area. He plans to create images of all of them and more, either in watercolor or oil. His favorite completed painting so far is of a bridge built in 1844 in Stowe, Vermont. Officially named the Gold Brook Bridge, it is more popularly known as Emily’s Bridge, named after a young woman who reportedly haunts the structure after a tragic love story!

Pennsylvania boasts the highest number of covered bridges in the United States, mostly in Columbia County as well as the Lancaster area. Although Vermont bills itself as “the covered bridge state,” it comes in 5th behind Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Oregon! The last remaining covered bridge here in Luzerne County was the Bittenbender Bridge, built in 1888 using Queenpost truss construction. At 68 ½ feet in length, it provided passage over Huntington Creek, just south of Huntington Mills, until June 28, 2006, when raging floodwaters ended its life.

The Sam Eckman Bridge in Benton also sports the Queenpost truss construction. Built in 1876, it is 71 feet in length. I have painted it several times. A good friend of mine, who is a mail carrier, not only lives near this bridge, but also crosses it each day on his mail route!

Sullivan County’s Forksville Bridge was constructed over the Loyalsock Creek in 1850. At a length of 153 feet, it employs the Burr Arch construction. This is a beautiful bridge, still passable by car, which my husband and I try to accomplish several times annually! I have painted the Forksville Bridge several times, almost always choosing the view which includes the old store and the church across the creek, a gorgeous scene in every season!

Rinker’s Bridge is my all-time favorite covered bridge, also crossing the Loyalsock Creek down in Hillsgrove. Its 1850 Burr Arch construction supports its 186 foot length. Years ago we spent many weekends camped in its shadow at a private campground run by the landowners. I treasure those memories of campfires, sleeping on the ground in a tiny tent, and swimming in the creek's colorful bridge reflections! Another family favorite was a covered bridge near the village of Central. My great-grandfather, who lived two miles away in Jamison City, referred to it in his courting letters to my great-grandmother who grew up on Stevens Hill Road. Unfortunately it was destroyed by teenage arsonists in the 1970s.

The covered bridges that remain are a link to our past. They truly provide momentary shelter from contemporary life. They allow us to cross over to the other side but they also demand a choice: which direction are we going to go? As we enter 2026 and America 250, it's an important question that each of us must answer individually.

This article originally appeared in the January 2026 publication of InSide the Back Mountain.