About
Knecht's Covered Bridge, also called Knecht's Mill or Slifer's Bridge, carries Knecht Bridge Road over Cooks Creek (also called Durham Creek) south of Springtown in Springfield Township, upper Bucks County. It is a single-span Town truss bridge, 110 ft long and 15 ft wide, built in 1873. It is open to vehicles.
History
The bridge was built in 1873. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 1, 1980, under the name Knecht's Mill Covered Bridge, as part of the Covered Bridges of the Delaware River Watershed nomination. WHYY reports that it stands on land settled by German families in the early 1700s and is said to lie on the route of the 1737 Walking Purchase.
Design
The bridge uses a Town lattice truss of crisscrossing planks pinned with wooden pegs, framed in hemlock. It is painted red with white portals.
Visiting
From PA 412 at Slifer Valley Road, go west on Slifer Valley Road 1.8 miles. The bridge is on the left on Knecht Bridge Road.
Sources: Knecht's Covered Bridge (Wikipedia), Knecht's Covered Bridge (Bucks County Covered Bridge Society), Bucks County covered bridges tour (WHYY)
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