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Adams
County, Pennsylvania
(WGN
38-01-01) (WGCB PA-01-01) (1854; restored 1993;
rehabilitated 1996) A single-span Town lattice truss 102' over Marsh
Creek. Located: On an unnamed, unmarked road, approximately
5 miles southwest of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania between Cumberland and Freedom
Townships, Pennsylvania. Directions: Travel approximately 3
miles south of Gettysburg on US 15 Business, at the jct. of US 15 Business
and Millerstown Road, turn right on Millerstown Road and go 1.6 miles to
an unnamed road. Turn left on the unnamed road and go 0.2 mile to
the bridge. Or from Frederick, Maryland, take US 15 north [Catoctin
Mountain Highway] approximately 26.2 to Pennsylvania state line; at US
15/US 15 Business Exit, bear left (North) onto US 15 Business [Emmitsburg
Road] and make a left onto the first road after the exit. Continue
to the next stop sign and make a right and continue to a right on unnamed
road 0.2 mile to the bridge. Closed to motor traffic. The bridge
was used for the movement of troops by both the Confederate and Union forces
during the military campaigns at Gettysburg. At that time it was
known as Sauck’s Bridge and accommodated a large amount of road traffic.
In the spring of 1991, there was a significant interest in restoring the
bridge and restoration was began in the spring of 1993. A bronze
plaque located near the restored bridge states: “In 1938, the Pennsylvania
Highway Department determined that the Sachs Bridge was the most historic
covered bridge in the state." It was closed to traffic in 1968.
Floodwaters swept it from its abutments on June 19, 1996. Adams County
rehabilitated the bridge by supporting its trusses with steel beams and
by raising its elevation three feet. It was restored on new stone-faced,
abutments with long, stone and mortar wing walls and parapets. The
horizontal clapboard siding on the sides and portals are positioned in
such a way that a good portion of the Town truss structure is visible.
The lower one-fourth of the sides is covered. The next four feet
are open, the next (approximately) six feet are closed, and there are typical,
narrow, lengthwise openings under the eaves. The bridge has a sheet
metal roof and wide diagonal floor planks. It is painted barn red, which
was its original color. Also known as the Sach's Covered Bridge
and the Sachs Covered Bridge. It was listed on the National
Register of Historic Places on August 25, 1980. (Apr 2005) |
