Sachs Covered Bridge
Description
SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sachs_Covered_Bridge The bridge is located in the Gettysburg National Military Park and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. During the American Civil War, both the Union and Confederate Armies used the bridge in the Battle of Gettysburg and its aftermath.The Sachs Covered Bridge was built around 1854 at a cost of $1,544. On July 1, 1863, the bridge was crossed by the two brigades of the I Corps of the Union Army heading towards Gettysburg. The III Corps also crossed the bridge heading to the Black Horse Tavern. Four days later, the majority of General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia retreated over the bridge after the Union victory in the Battle of Gettysburg.
The bridge was designated Pennsylvania's "most historic bridge" in 1938 by the predecessor of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the Department of Highways. The Cumberland Township officials voted to close the bridge to vehicular traffic, while leaving it open to pedestrians, on May 9, 1968. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 25, 1980.
On June 19, 1996, a flash flood knocked the bridge from one of its abutments and it incurred substantial damage; an iron bridge on the Marsh Creek was also heavily damaged and another destroyed. A $500,000 restoration on the bridge was already in progress before the flood; an additional $100,000 was raised to repair the damage incurred. The bridge was rededicated on July 21, 1997.
The Sachs Covered Bridge is a Town truss covered bridge. The truss design was developed by Ithiel Town of Connecticut and consists of wooden beams "cris-crossed" to form a lattice.[3] The bridge was one of few remaining Town truss bridges in Pennsylvania.[2] The bridge is 100 feet (30 m) long and 15 feet 4 inches (4.67 m) wide.
SOURCE: http://www.angelfire.com/pa4/gettysburg/sachs.html Portions of the Confederate Army used the bridge to cross Marsh Creek during the July 3rd and July 4th withdrawal from Gettysburg. During the War, the bridge was known as Sauck's Bridge. Sach's Bridge is now in a park and is open for foot traffic only. According to Evans and Evans, it was used for troop movements during the Civil War, and it is nearby both the Gettysburg battlefield monument and the Eisenhower home.
The Bridge is a favorite spot for ghost hunters,late nighters,re-enactors and those who like to fish. It is off park service property and is open all night.
Facts
- Overview
- Through truss bridge over Marsh Creek on Waterworks Road
- Location
- Adams County, Pennsylvania
- History
- Built in 1852 by David S. Stoner. On June 19, 1996, a flash flood knocked the bridge from one of its abutments. It was restored: over 75% of its original structure was used. It was reconstructed in 1996. The bridge was rededicated on July 21, 1997
- Builder
- - David Stoner
- Design
- Town truss covered bridge; horizontal clapboard siding, sheet metal roof, wide diagonal floor planks
- Dimensions
-
Total length: 101.2 ft.
Deck width: 15.8 ft.
- Recognition
- Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on August 25, 1980
- Also called
- Sauck's Covered Bridge
Waterworks Covered Bridge
Sauches Covered Bridge - Approximate latitude, longitude
- +39.79740, -77.27616 (decimal degrees)
39°47'51" N, 77°16'34" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 18/305125/4407749 (zone/easting/northing)
- USGS topographic map
- Fairfield
- Inventory numbers
- NRHP 80003395 (National Register of Historic Places reference number)
BH 47387 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Update Log
- June 4, 2011: Updated by Jodi Christman: added more detail on bridge design and tweaked dimensions
- April 11, 2011: New photos from Jodi Christman
- December 31, 2010: New photo from Daniel McFarland
- December 25, 2010: Added by Jodi Christman
Sources
- Jodi Christman - masterofchaos [at] outlook [dot] com
- Daniel McFarland
- Wikipedia
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/pa/adams/sachs-covered/