Keller's Mill Covered Bridge

The Keller's Mill Covered Bridge is a covered bridge that spans Cocalico Creek in Ephrata Township, Lancaster County in the US state of Pennsylvania. A county-owned and maintained bridge, its official designation is the Cocalico No. 5 Bridge.[2] It is also sometimes known as Guy Bard Covered Bridge (after a local jurist) and Rettew's Covered Bridge (after the person that Rettew's Road is named).[3]

Keller's Mill Covered Bridge
On Rettew Mill Road in July 2006, before the bridge was disassembled and moved
Coordinates40°9′51″N 76°13′57″W
CarriesMiddle Creek Road (TR 660)
CrossesCocalico Creek
LocaleLancaster, Pennsylvania, United States
Official nameCocalico No. 5 Bridge
Other name(s)Guy Bard's
Maintained byLancaster County
WGCB #38-36-13
Characteristics
Total length74 ft (23 m)
Width15 ft (4.6 m)
History
Constructed byElias McMellen
Built1873
MPSCovered Bridges of Lancaster County TR
NRHP reference No.80003518[1]
Added to NRHPDecember 10, 1980
Location

Due to heavy road traffic on the aging, one-lane bridge, construction on a new steel and concrete bridge to bypass the covered bridge occurred in the summer of 2006. According to Ephrata Township supervisor Clark Stauffer, the bridge has been disassembled and will be reassembled a few miles downstream to replace an existing one lane Mill Creek Road bridge.[4] It was located at 40°10′11.4″N 76°12′16.8″W (40.16983, −76.20467) before being disassembled.[5]

History

Keller's Mill Covered Bridge was originally built by Elias McMellen in 1873 at a cost of US$2,075. After being swept away in flooding, the bridge was rebuilt in 1891, again by McMellen.[6] It stayed there until it was disassembled and moved in 2006. The bridge was reconstructed in 2009. The bridge was reopened on Middle Creek Road in December 2010.[7]

Design

Keller's Mill Covered 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.[2] The bridge is the only all white bridge in the county,[6] the only bridge to have survived the transition from whitewashing to the red color commonly used in barns throughout the county. The bridge is not painted on the inside.

  • Length: 62 feet (18.9 m) span and 74 feet (22.6 m) total length[3][8]
  • Width: 13 feet 2 inches (4.0 m) clear deck and 15 feet (4.6 m) total width[3][8]
  • Overhead clearance: 11 feet (3.4 m)
  • Underclearance: 9 feet 8 inches (2.9 m)

Rebuilt in 2010

  • Length: 72 feet (21.9 m) span and 74 feet (22.6 m) total length
  • Width: 13.1 feet 2 inches (4.0 m) clear deck and 16 feet (5.1 m) total width
  • Overhead clearance: 9 feet 6 inches (2.9 m)
  • Underclearance: 13 feet 8 inches (4.0 m)

See also

References
  1. "NPS Focus". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
  2. "Keller's Mill Covered Bridge". Lancaster County, PA Government Portal. County of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. October 20, 2001. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved July 7, 2006.
  3. "Guy Bard's (Keller's) Covered Bridge" (PDF). Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
  4. Robinson, Ryan (September 30, 2006). "Rebirth of a covered bridge?". LancasterOnline.com : News. Lancaster Newspapers. Archived from the original on May 27, 2007. Retrieved October 1, 2006.
  5. Travis, Dale. "38-36-13". Round Barns & Covered Bridges. Retrieved August 8, 2006.
  6. "Keller's Mill Covered Bridge". Lancaster County Pennsylvania Dutch Country Official Visitors Center. Pennsylvania Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau. 2006. Archived from the original on March 17, 2006. Retrieved July 7, 2006.
  7. "Keller's Mill Covered Bridge". Intelligencer Journal / Lancaster New Era. December 12, 2010. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
  8. Bickel, Hank (June 23, 2005). "Keller Bridge". Covered Bridges of the Northeast USA. Retrieved August 4, 2006.
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