Waterford Covered Bridge

About Waterford Covered Bridge

Waterford Covered Bridge, also known as Brotherton's Bridge and the Old Kissing Bridge, is a historic Town Lattice Truss covered bridge spanning LeBoeuf Creek in Waterford Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania. Built in 1875, this 86-foot bridge holds the distinction of being the northernmost historic covered bridge in Pennsylvania. It is one of only 19 Town Lattice Truss bridges remaining in the state and the only one in Erie County. The bridge carries Niemeyer Road (Township Road 463) and reopened to traffic on November 7, 2024, following an extensive $3.4 million restoration after being closed since 2011.

History of Waterford Covered Bridge

The Waterford Covered Bridge was built in 1875 by brothers Charles and James Phelps, local carpenters who had never built a bridge before. According to historical accounts, the brothers either studied a similar bridge 40 miles away or followed a design print by Ithiel Town, inventor of the lattice truss. An eyewitness to the construction recounted in 1936 that it took approximately two months to complete. The bridge was designed by Richard Cross using a Town Lattice Truss. Originally, a white sign mounted above each portal declared "Old Kissing Bridge built in 1875 by the Phelps Bros." The bridge was documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1936 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Erie County once had about a dozen covered bridges, but arson claimed both the Carman Covered Bridge in 1996 and Gudgeonville Covered Bridge in 2008, leaving only Harrington and Waterford standing.

Architecture and Design

Waterford Covered Bridge features a Town Lattice Truss design, with a lattice of beams crossing at 45 to 60-degree angles connected by wooden pins. The truss style, patented by Ithiel Town in 1820, used smaller pieces of lumber instead of larger, heavier timbers, making it more economical and easier to build by relatively unskilled workers. The bridge measures 85 feet 11 inches in length, with a road deck 13 feet 5 inches wide featuring transverse decking and linear runners to reduce noise and guide automobiles. Waterford is the only covered bridge in Erie County to have been painted, with its exterior finished in traditional barn red. An unusual blue metal pipe structure attached to the south-side abutments connects to nearby pipelines. The 2024 restoration preserved the original lattice design, with diagonal members reassembled using wooden dowel pins to match the original construction. A secondary metal roof was added over the wooden roof to increase longevity, and security cameras were installed to deter vandalism.

Visiting Waterford Covered Bridge

Waterford Covered Bridge is located on Niemeyer Road between East Street and Union Road, just southeast of the Borough of Waterford. The bridge is adjacent to the Smith Tract of the French Creek Valley Conservancy. The surrounding area offers a scenic, rural setting characteristic of northwestern Pennsylvania. When visiting, don't miss the nearby statue of George Washington in downtown Waterford—the only statue in the world depicting Washington in a British military uniform, commemorating his 1753 mission as a 21-year-old British officer to deliver a message to a French fort along LeBoeuf Creek. The bridge is also the setting for the local "Waterford Sheepman" urban legend from the 1970s. Waterford Covered Bridge is approximately 45 minutes from Harrington Covered Bridge on the opposite side of the county. Nearby attractions include Presque Isle State Park, Erie Maritime Museum, and the Fort LeBoeuf Historical Society's Judson House museum.