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Lehigh
County, Pennsylvania
(WGN
38-39-02) (WGCB PA-39-02): (1841; reinforced 1965; new
siding and painted c. mid 1990's) A single-span plus Burr
arch truss 138' 4" over Jordan Creek. Located: On Wehr Mill
Road, northwest of Allentown, South Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania.
Directions: From the Manassas Guth Covered Bridge (WGN
38-09-03), go 0.2 mile north on Lapp
Road to River Road, turn left on River Road for 0.8 mile to Wehr Mill Road,
turn left through the bridge. There are parking areas on both the
right of the road and in Covered Bridge Park to the left of the road.
It was built the same year as the Bogert Covered Bridge Bridge (WGN
38-39-01) making it one of the countries
and the nations oldest remaining covered bridges. The World Guide
of Covered Bridges lists the bridges name as Wehr. Another
name for the bridge is printed in the Lehigh County tourist pamphlet, Covered
Bridges in the Lehigh Valley, which states: “In 1862 Ephraim
Sieger built a stone gristmill on the north bank of the Jordan (creek)
and the bridge became known as Sieger's Covered Bridge. After
several owners, the mill was sold to William Wehr and the bridge eventually
was named Wehr’s Covered Bridge.” There is a plaque on the
portal indicating the bridges name as "Wehr Bridge." The high
double Burr arch was reinforced with steel beams in 1965 and its siding
was replaced and painted in the mid 1990's. The structure rests on
stone and mortar abutments that have been reinforced with concrete and
two stone and mortar piers located equidistant from each end. It
has long, sweeping, stone and mortar wing walls capped with concrete.
The sides are covered with barn red painted horizontal clapboard boarding
and the portals are covered with barn red painted horizontal ship lapped
boarding. The interior is painted white and it is open under the
eves for ventilation. The deck consists of wide lengthwise planking
and it has a slate roof. Also known as the Sieger's Covered Bridge
and the Wehr's Covered Bridge. It was listed on the National
Register of Historic Places on December 1, 1980. (Jun 2008) |
