Universal York

No wonder York County can’t claim any covered bridges anymore. Hurricane Agnes destroyed the last one, at Bentzel’s Mill, in 1972. Previous storms and floods took their toll of many others over the years. Lila Fourhman-Shaull, Director of Library and Archives at York County Heritage Trust just shared an August 26, 1933 newspaper article listing some of the covered bridges lost a few days earlier in the big flood of 1933.

Muddy Creek was especially hit hard. The articles lists four covered bridges washed out on that southern York County creek, along with many wooden and steel bridges in the same area. Two of the covered bridges were close to each other at Muddy Creek Forks. The locations of the destroyed covered bridges were:

“Bridge No. 17—Covered wood structure of 98 foot span, north branch of Muddy Creek at Castle Fin station. Washed out.

Bridge No. 21—Covered wood span of 87 feet over north branch of Muddy Creek at Woodbine on road between Bald Eagle and Bridgeton. Washed out.

Bridge No. 29—Covered wood structure with span of 60 feet over North branch of Muddy Creek at Muddy Creek Forks. Washed out. [See photo above, taken August 26, 1933.]

Bridge No. 30—Covered wood structure of 65 foot span over South branch of Muddy Creek at Muddy Creek forks. Washed out.”

There is only one other destroyed covered bridge listed in the article, but reports were still coming in. That one was:

“Bridge No. 172—Covered wood bridge over Codorus creek at Mundis mill on road to Mt. Zion. Washed out.”

We have seen many destroyed and damaged bridges the past week, due to Tropical Storm Lee, some over streams so tiny that we might not have noticed them. The power of rushing water is brought home to us once more.