Kintersburg Covered Bridge

About Kintersburg Covered Bridge

Kintersburg Covered Bridge is a rare 62-foot Howe truss bridge built in 1877. It is the only Howe truss covered bridge in Indiana County and one of only four or five remaining in all of Pennsylvania, crossing Crooked Creek near the community of Home in northeastern Indiana County.

History of Kintersburg Covered Bridge

Kintersburg Covered Bridge was built in September 1877 by J.S. Fleming, a Civil War veteran who was injured at the Battle of Cedar Creek, at a cost of $893. The bridge was named by Isaac Kinter, a local shopkeeper, in honor of his father John Kinter, a Revolutionary War veteran. Original design features included ten-foot overhangs at each portal, though these were modified in the 20th century during bridge repairs. The bridge carried traffic until 1974 (some sources say 1977) when it was bypassed by a modern bridge. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in August 1979 specifically because of its rare Howe truss design.

Architecture and Design

The bridge utilizes a Howe truss design, patented by William Howe in 1840 and further developed in 1850. This design was popular in New England but rarely used elsewhere, making Kintersburg one of the most architecturally significant covered bridges in Pennsylvania. At 62 feet in length and 14.5 feet wide, it is one of only four or five Howe truss covered bridges remaining in Pennsylvania—the others being McConnell's Mill Bridge in Lawrence County, Mean's Ford Bridge in Bucks County, St. Mary's Bridge in Huntingdon County, and Thomas Mill Bridge in Philadelphia County. The bridge remains in good condition and is open to foot traffic.

Visiting Kintersburg Covered Bridge

Kintersburg Covered Bridge is located about a mile and a half off Route 119 near Home, Pennsylvania, in northeastern Indiana County. The bridge is situated on Musser Road where the fields meet the forest, in a scenic rural setting. There is space to pull off the road between the bridge and the nearby power substation. From the modern bridge that replaced it, visitors can get excellent views of the covered bridge spanning Crooked Creek. The bridge is safe to walk across, though some visitors note the gaps between floor boards can be unnerving. The Kintersburg Bridge is the easternmost of Indiana County's four covered bridges.