East Paden (Twin) (WGN 38-19-11)  (WGCB PA-19-11) and West Paden (Twin) (WGN 38-19-12 #2) (WGCB PA-19-12 #2)

General information:  The bridges are located in Twin Bridge Park, east of Forks, Fishing Creek Township, Pennsylvania.  Directions:  In Forks, Pennsylvania at the jct. of SR 487 and SR 1020, go east on SR 1020 for 0.3 mile to the Twin Bridge Park, just off the road to the left.  This is a “Twin Bridge,” meaning that it is one of two bridges that stand nearly portal to portal along the same road.  This is reportedly the only set of twin covered bridges in the United States.  This is not a completely accurate anymore since Vermont rebuilt the "Willard  Twin (see Vermont, Windsor County, Willard (WGN 45-14-02) and Willard Twin (45-14-117)).  Named after John Paden, who operated a sawmill nearby the bridges were built at a cost of $720.00.  The structures were bypassed in 1963 when SR 1020 was realigned and a new steel and concrete bridge was built and are now used as picnic pavilions in the Twin Bridge Park.  Poured concrete fence post walls were added between the bridges during their preservation in 1962.  On Wednesday June 28, 2006, the West Paden bridge was washed away after record rains washed two cottages off their foundations and they slammed into the structure knocking it off its abutments and washing it downstream.  In July 2008, reconstruction of the West Paden Covered Bridge and repairs to the East Paden Covered bridge were undertaken and completed in the fall of the same year.
 

East Paden (Twin) (WGN 38-19-11)  (WGCB PA-19-11): (1850; renovated 1962; roof repaired 1994; repaired 2008)  A single-span Queenpost truss 72' 8" over Huntington Creek.  Located:  In Twin Bridge Park, east of Forks, Fishing Creek Township, Pennsylvania.  It is covered with vertical board siding, painted barn red and trimmed with white.  In 1994, a roof beam snapped under the weight of the winter snow, and was repaired at a cost of $10,000.00.  On Wednesday June 28, 2006, after record rains, the bridges abutments were damaged at the same time the West Paden (Twin) (WGN 38-19-12) was destroyed.  Repair work on the bridge began in July and was completed in the fall of 2008.  The bridge is covered with vertical board siding, painted barn red inside and out and trimmed in white open under the eves for ventilation and there is one opposing horizontal window the entire length of the bridge on each side.  The floor consists of wide lengthwise planking  It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 29, 1979.  (Apr 2006/Sep 2006) 

West Paden (Twin) (WGN 38-19-12)  (WGCB PA-19-12):  (1850; renovated 1962; destroyed 2006)  A single-span multiple Kingpost with Burr arch truss 100' over Huntington Creek.    The Burr arches sandwiched a multiple Kingpost truss.  The bridge was covered with vertical board siding, painted barn red and trimmed with white.  It rested on stone abutments, and the wing walls were evident only at the end of the Burr arch between the bridges.  The bridge was covered with vertical board siding, painted barn red inside and out and trimmed in white open under the eves for ventilation and there was one opposing horizontal window the entire length of the bridge on each side. The floor consisted of wide lengthwise planking and it had a metal roof that projected beyond the entrances to provide additional weather protection for the interior.   The original 1850 structure was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 29, 1979.  (Apr 2006)

East and Destroyed West Paden (Twins) after the flood of June 28, 2006:  These photographs show the salvaged remains of the West Paden (Twin) (WGN 38-19-12) after it was knocked off its abutments, the East Paden (Twin) (WGN 38-19-11) as it now looks and its damaged abutments. (Sep 2006)

West Paden (Twin) (WGN 38-19-12 #2) (WGCB PA-19-12 #2):  (2008)  A single-span multiple Kingpost with Burr arch truss 103' over Huntington Creek.  This is the reproduction of the original West Paden (Twin) Covered Bridge destroyed by flood waters on June 28, 2006.  In July 2008, reconstruction of the bridge was undertaken and it reopened in the fall of the same year.  At approximately 1.5 million, the cost to the county was deemed too great but another plan was implemented to use $650,000  in FEMA funds.  The original stone abutments were destroyed in the flood and had to be rebuilt.  Because of lessons learned after the 50 year flood, the new structure was built higher and has been bolted down.  It is taller and narrower and the white painted trim is slightly different than the original bridge.  There is also less separation between the bridges.  Given the total destruction of the original 1850 bridge, the county has done a great job reconstructing the structure.  Its Burr arches sandwich a multiple Kingpost truss.  The bridge is covered with vertical board siding, painted barn red inside and out and trimmed in white open under the eves for ventilation and there is one opposing horizontal window the entire length of the bridge on each side.  The wing walls are evident only at the end of the Burr arch between the bridges.  The floor consists of wide lengthwise planking and it has a standing seam metal roof that projects beyond the entrances to provide additional weather protection for the interior.   (Jun 2009)