Rating:
9 votes
Waterville Bridge
Description
It is an example of a lenticular truss, so named because of the lens-like shape of its curved upper and lower chords. It is representative of the Berlin Iron Bridge Company's trademark bridge type, based on the patent of William O. Douglas. This bridge also exhibits a Warren pattern of web bracing and a highly decorated portal. The process of moving the bridge in 1985 is a notable example of how historically significant bridges can be preserved and adapted to new uses.-- Historic American Engineering Record
Facts
- Overview
- Lenticular through truss bridge over Swatara Creek on the Appalachian Trail in Fort Indiantown Gap
- Location
- Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
- Status
- Open to pedestrians only
- History
- Built 1890 by the Berlin Iron Bridge Co.; relocated 1985
- Builder
- - Berlin Iron Bridge Co. of East Berlin, Connecticut
- Design
- Lenticular Warren through truss
- Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 220.8 ft.
Deck width: 15.5 ft.
- Recognition
- Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on November 14, 1988
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +40.48028, -76.53158 (decimal degrees)
40°28'49" N, 76°31'54" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 18/370182/4482192 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Indiantown Gap
- Inventory numbers
- NRHP 88002171 (National Register of Historic Places reference number)
BH 36037 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Update Log
- July 8, 2020: New photos from Patrick Gurwell
- March 11, 2020: New photo from Patrick Gurwell
- November 6, 2016: Updated by Christopher Finigan: Added category "Pin-connected"
- September 3, 2014: Updated by Nathan Holth: Added dimensions
- April 29, 2014: Updated by Nathan Holth: Fixed to Lenticular Warren thru truss.
- March 4, 2014: Updated by Dave King: Added street view & Imported photos
- September 18, 2010: New photos from Jodi Christman
- September 27, 2007: Posted photos from Kent Findley
Sources
- HAER PA-462 - Waterville Bridge, Spanning Swatara Creek at Appalachian Trail (moved from Little Pine Creek at State Route 44, Waterville, Lycoming County), Green Point vicinity, Lebanon County, PA
- Kent Findley - kent [dot] findley [at] gmail [dot] com
- Jodi Christman - masterofchaos [at] outlook [dot] com
- Wikipedia
- Nathan Holth
- Dave King - DKinghawkfan [at] hotmail [dot] com
- HAER PA-462 - Waterville Bridge, Spanning Swatara Creek at Appalachian Trail (moved from Little Pine Creek at State Route 44, Waterville, Lycoming County), Green Point, Lebanon County, PA
- Patrick Gurwell - pgurwell [at] gmail [dot] com
Comments
Waterville Bridge
Many thanks to Kent Findley for posting the fine photographs. They certainly don't make bridges like this anymore. The detail work is incredible. I look forward to walking across this historic bridge when I hike that section of the Appalachian Trail.
Waterville Bridge
This is really a neat bridge and very aesthetic!! It is good that it was preserved and not demolished!! Great pic!!
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This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/pa/lebanon/waterville/
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/pa/lebanon/waterville/
Many thanks to Kent Findley for posting the fine photographs. They certainly don't make bridges like this anymore. The detail work is incredible. I look forward to walking across this historic bridge when I hike that section of the Appalachian Trail.