When The Lock Haven Bridge Was A Covered Bridge

The Lock Haven Covered Bridge was destroyed by fire on June 27th 1919.

A large tollhouse stood at the end of the bridge.  The local church named the town Lock Haven after a canal lock was built there.  The town became a "haven" for loggers, boatmen, and other travelers.

The bridge across the Susquehanna from Lock Haven to Lockport was built in 1852 at a cost of $25,000.

The 840 foot bridge was a four span Burr Truss construction.

The pedestrian walkway was also used by the mules from the canal towpath.

According to local lore, in June of 1919, a woman set the bridge on fire  in a fit of rage when her husband was on the other side of it, drinking with another woman.  No one was ever arrested, nor charged, and the woman is not named, but the story remains.

Firemen rushed to the scene, but were unable to save the bridge. 

 The toll house was saved, but the bridge, and the phone lines, crashed into the river.

It took three weeks to establish a ferry system after the fire, and three years to complete the new metal bridge across the river.

Post Card View From Peters Steps.  The Lock Haven Covered Bridge can be seen on the left.

Photo of the Lock Haven Bridge from Eldorado Found, by Henry Shoemaker

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An Index Of Covered Bridges In The Susquehanna Valley
https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-covered-bridges-index.html