About
McClurg Covered Bridge, also known as the Devil's Den Bridge, stands in Hanover Township Park, where it spans a small ravine. It is open to foot traffic only. At 24 feet it is tied with Krepps Covered Bridge as the shortest covered bridge in Washington County. Its World Guide number is 38-63-13. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Devil's Den, McClurg Covered Bridge, added June 22, 1979.
History
The bridge was built in 1880 and originally carried Devil's Den Road north of Paris. Dale Travis identifies the original stream as Aunt Clara's Fork of Kings Creek. The McClurg name comes from former owners of the property at the original site, and the Devil's Den nickname comes from a nearby cave hidden behind a waterfall. The bridge was relocated to Hanover Township Park in 1987 and restored in 1988.
Design
McClurg is a kingpost truss, 24 feet long and 12 feet 3 inches wide, though Dale Travis lists 31 feet. It has red vertical plank siding, three rectangular windows on each side and a cedar shake roof.
Visiting
Dale Travis gives these directions: take Steubenville Pike southwest about 1.0 mile from its junction with PA 18 in Florence, then turn southeast into Hanover Township Park. The bridge is for pedestrians only.
Sources: Devil's Den, McClurg Covered Bridge, Wikipedia, McClurg Covered Bridge, coveredbridges.net, Devils Den or McClurg, Dale J. Travis Covered Bridge Photos
Photo: Lee Paxton, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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