Richards Covered Bridge

About

Richards Covered Bridge crosses South Branch Roaring Creek east of Elysburg, on the line between Cleveland Township in Columbia County and Ralpho Township in Northumberland County. It is about 64 feet long and combines multiple kingpost and queenpost elements. The National Register nomination dates it to 1852.

History

Obediah S. Campbell built the bridge in 1852, according to the National Register nomination. Other sources give a later date: coveredbridges.net and Dale J. Travis both list 1875. coveredbridges.net says Columbia and Northumberland counties built the bridge at a cost of $565 and that the original bridge on the site stood near John Richards' farm. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 8, 1979, as part of the Covered Bridges of Northumberland County thematic resource. The nomination rated it in good condition, structurally sound considering the age of the wood and the floods of the creek.

Design

The nomination lists the truss as multiple kingpost and queenpost, and its description calls it a subdivided truss with a queenpost added for increased capacity. It records a clear span of 59 feet 7 inches, a roadway width of 11 feet 9 inches and a vertical clearance of 11 feet 6 inches. Travis gives the length as 69 feet.

Visiting

Travis directs visitors east on PA 487 about 2.1 miles from its junction with PA 54 on the south side of Elysburg, then south on Jepko Road 0.75 miles to the bridge. None of the sources consulted gives a dated statement on whether it currently carries vehicles.

Sources: Covered Bridges of Northumberland County, NRHP nomination, Richards Covered Bridge, coveredbridges.net, Richards, Dale J. Travis

Photo: Ruhrfisch, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.