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Perkasie Covered Bridge |
In 1832 Bucks County built
a covered bridge for Perkasie to use as a means of transportation.
This was one of two covered bridges first built in Bucks County
in 1832. It was made of very good lumber that was brought to the
site by horse and carriage. Some of the lumber that was used was
white oak. The bridge was used to get to a lot of different places.
The bridge was built using
Towne Lattice construction, patented by Ithiel Towne in 1920.
The only disadvantages to using the bridge is that it was very
narrow to pass through and it wasn't strong enough. If they would
have made an expansion on it they would have had to take it all
apart and the county didn't want to do that. The bridge was moved
in the summer 1958 off of Main Street in Perkasie and put it on
land at Lenape Park.
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| On the side of the bridge a sign is maintained
that says " 5 cent fine for any person riding or driving on
this bridge faster than a walk or smoking segars on " |
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Wooden beams are pegged together in a crisscross
pattern on the sides, bottom, and top of the structure for strength. |
The Perkasie Historical Society
takes care of the bridge today along with other volunteers from
Perkasie. The Perkasie Historical Society raises money for different
events in Perkasie and the covered bridge is one of projects that
is the benefit off those funds. They raised enough money to put
a new roof on the bridge because the old one was having leaks
and was very old. The bridge is now used for a historical site,
a place for kids to talk and hang their wet towels after they
might have gone fishing or swimming in the lake next to it. The
bridge is a piece of history to value in our community.
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| A new wood shingle roof was placed
on the covered bridge in 2000. |
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A Sellersville firm completed the work. |
