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| Photo by Dr. Roger A. McCain | Photo by Dr. Roger A. McCain | ||
ERB'S BRIDGE, which is still in use, is 15 feet wide and 80 feet long and crosses Hammer Creek in Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. It was built in 1887 on a large tract of land in the low-lying farming area near Warwick Township that was the original homestead of Nicholas (Claus) Erb when he came from Switerzerland to Pennsylvania in 1737. At the time the bridge was built, this land belonged to Jacob Erb (1835-1914). Like the many other covered bridges in Lancaster County, all built to a common plan, the Erb Bridge has sides painted brick red, and thin slots under the roof for interior lighting. These peak-roofed structures were built to prevent large piles of winter snow adding more weight than the bridge might be able to bear. | |||
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Go here [an off-site link] to see more pictures of covered bridges in Lancaster County -- including one taken inside a bridge that shows the wooden truss construction and the distinct pattern of light and shade encountered by those who cross it. Go here for the family tree of Jacob Erb (1835-1914). |
jhlarkins@msn.com (John Larkins)