Hubler Covered Bridge

About

Hubler Covered Bridge, also called the Lewisburg Penitentiary Bridge, crosses Little Buffalo Creek a few yards above its mouth at Buffalo Creek, northwest of Lewisburg in Kelly Township, Union County. It is about 33 ft long and dates to 1850. It stands at the federal penitentiary (USP Lewisburg), and half the bridge is on prison property. It is closed to motor traffic, and dalejtravis.com lists the owner as private. The sources consulted do not record its truss type.

History

The bridge was built in 1850. It is not among the four Union County covered bridges (Factory, Hassenplug, Hayes and Millmont Red) that were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. No builder or later repair history is recorded in the sources used here.

Design

Hubler is the shortest of Union County's covered bridges at about 33 ft. Its truss type is not given in the sources consulted for this listing.

Visiting

Access is restricted. Uncoveringpa.com describes reaching the bridge from Sanford Bates Drive through the grounds of USP Lewisburg, with a chain-link fence that keeps visitors from crossing the bridge. A 2019 reader report on the same page said the far side, on Strawbridge Road, is gated with No Trespassing signs. Dalejtravis.com gives directions via PA 192 west 1.7 miles from US 15 in Lewisburg, then north on Strawbridge Road 1.6 miles. Check current access rules before visiting.

Sources: Hubler or Lewisburg Penitentiary 38-60-05 (dalejtravis.com), Covered Bridges of Union County (Uncovering PA), List of covered bridges in Pennsylvania (Wikipedia)