Academia Covered Bridge 38-34-01
Description
Interesting to note there are multiple documented dates for the bridge's build date: -1870 "Statewide Covered Bridge Assessment" -1901 "World Guide to Covered Bridges" -1902 "The Covered Bridges of Pennsylvania" by ZacherCurrently bridge is owned by the Juniata County of Historical Society
Facts
- Overview
- Covered bridge over Tuscarora Creek southeast of Academia
- Location
- Juniata County, Pennsylvania
- Status
- Open to pedestrians only
- History
- Built 1902 by James M. Groniger
- Design
- Covered Burr arch-truss
- Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 135.0 ft.
Total length: 279.0 ft.
Deck width: 15.5 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 11.6 ft.
- Recognition
- Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on August 10, 1979
- Also called
- Pomeroy Covered Bridge (original name)
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +40.49350, -77.47267 (decimal degrees)
40°29'37" N, 77°28'22" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 18/290450/4485470 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Spruce Hill
- Inventory numbers
- WGCB 38-34-01 (World Guide to Covered Bridges number)
NRHP 79002249 (National Register of Historic Places reference number)
BH 31046 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Update Log
- March 4, 2014: Photos imported by Dave King
- August 21, 2012: New photos from Jodi Christman
- July 28, 2012: Updated by Jodi Christman: Added description on dates and owner
- December 18, 2006: Posted photos from Jack Schmidt
Sources
- Jack Schmidt - jjturtle [at] earthlink [dot] net
- Dale Travis Covered Bridge List
- Jodi Christman - masterofchaos [at] outlook [dot] com
Comments
Although I cannot be certain, having not done any in-depth research on this particular bridge, it very likely may have originally been built in 1870. The structure matches the techniques of that time. In both 1898 and 1902 there were major floods in the Susquehanna watershed (and again in 1904, 1936, 1972, 1975, and 2011). It was common for these bridges to sustain enough damage to require a major repair/rebuild. There are other structures dating from those flood years in the watershed that fall into that category. Clifton Bridge (my "home bridge" here in Dauphin County) had a similar storied life. Built in 1822, it was heavily damaged by flood waters in 1862 (when the Union Canal dam burst at Water Works) and again in 1874. Some records mistakenly list it's build date as one of those two years - but those were actually a repair/rebuild of the original structure as opposed to a complete replacement. (Sadly, we lost it completely thanks to Agnes in 1972)
I just came from visiting the reconstructed bridge,and felt the same peaceful feeling I had from the orginal bridge. I love it!
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/pa/juniata/academia/
I grew up on this bridge; became a Man & played like a Boy. It was perfectly falling into beautiful Ruins - vintage Craftsmanship beside 80's graffiti; stone & wood as solid as the day it was laid seamlessly blending with the pockets of Beautiful Decay.
This Bridge WAS perfect. This Bridge WAS Wabi-Sabi; a Masterpiece of Transience and a Monument to Perfectly Imperfect Beauty.
Now, the Spirit is gone. There is nothing left save Sterility, Lifelessness, and a sad, un-recreation which invokes all the Realism & Soul of a Disney ride.
Good bye, Old Friend. Thanks for everything.