Forry's Mill Covered Bridge
Encyclopedia
Forry's Mill Covered Bridge is a covered bridge
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 Chiques Creek
Chiques Creek
Chiques Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in Lebanon and Lancaster counties, Pennsylvania in the United States.The source is at an elevation of near Mount Gretna Heights in Lebanon County...

 in West Hempfield
Hempfield, Pennsylvania
Hempfield, Pennsylvania is an unincorporated community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Hempfield is a tiny locale in West Hempfield Township a few miles west of Lancaster, Pennsylvania at 40°03'17" north latitude, 76°26'20" west longitude.-History:...

 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 Chiques #7 Bridge. (Chiques Creek was known as Chickies Creek until 2002).

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
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...

 covered bridges, on both the inside and outside. Both approaches to the bridge are painted in the traditional white color.

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 38-36-28. In 1980 it was added to 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 80003512. It is located at 40°4′3.6"N 76°28′40.8"W (40.06767, -76.47800).

Forry's Mill Covered Bridge is located in West Hempfield Township
West Hempfield Township, Pennsylvania
West Hempfield Township is a township in west central Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 15,128 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...

 on Bridge Valley Road 0.4 km (0.25 mi) north of 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...

 route 23 5.5 km (3.4 mi) east of Marietta
Marietta, Pennsylvania
Marietta is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,689 at the 2000 census. It is located on the east bank of the Susquehanna River just north of Columbia.-Geography:Marietta is located at ....

, less than a mile away from the former site of the Siegrist's Mill Covered Bridge
Siegrist's Mill Covered Bridge
Siegrist's Mill Covered Bridge is a , Burr Arch Truss covered bridge over Chiques Creek between Rapho and West Hempfield townships, Lancaster County in U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Owned and maintained by the county, its official designation is the Big Chiques #6 Bridge.The bridge's World Guide to...

.

History

Forry's Mill Covered Bridge was originally built in 1869 by Elias McMellen
Elias 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: ...

 for a cost of $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....

2969. The bridge required repairs in 1925 to its sides and floor.

Dimensions

  • Length: 91 feet
    Ft
    Ft 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...

     6 inches (27.9 m) span
    Span (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 103 feet (31.4 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: 12 feet (3.7 m)
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