Editing Herr's Mill Covered Bridge

{{short description|Bridge in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox bridge
|bridge_name   = Herr's Mill Covered Bridge
|native_name   = 
|other_name    = Soudersburg Bridge
|image         = Herr's Mill Covered Bridge Side View 2696px.jpg
|image_size    = 250px
|alt           = 
|caption       = 
|official_name = 
|carries       = 
|crosses       = 
|locale        = Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
|maint         = 
|id            = 
|designer      = 
|design        = double span, double [[Burr arch truss]]
|material      = 
|spans         = 
|pierswater    = 
|mainspan      = 
|length        = {{convert|178|ft|m|1}}
|width         = 
|height        = 
|load          = 
|clearance     = 
|below         = 
|traffic       = 
|builder       = Joseph Elliot and Robert Russell
|begin         = 1844
|complete      = 
|open          = 
|coordinates   = {{coord|40.0098|-76.1622|type:landmark_region:US-PA|display=inline,title}}
}}
The '''Herr's Mill Covered Bridge''' was a [[covered bridge]] that spans [[Pequea Creek]] in [[Lancaster County, Pennsylvania]], United States.<ref name="padutchcountry">{{cite web
  | title = Herr's Mill Covered Bridge
  | work = Lancaster County Pennsylvania Dutch Country Official Visitors Center
  | publisher = Pennsylvania Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau
  | year = 2006
  | url = http://www.padutchcountry.com/member_pages/herr_s_mill_covered_bridge__.asp
  | accessdate = 2006-07-07
  | archive-date = 2006-03-17
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060317124450/http://www.padutchcountry.com/member_pages/herr_s_mill_covered_bridge__.asp
  | url-status = dead
  }}</ref> It is also sometimes known as '''Soudersburg Bridge'''.<ref name="lancaster.pa.us">{{cite web
 |title       = The Covered Bridges of Lancaster County
 |work        = Lancaster County, PA Government Portal
 |publisher   = County of Lancaster, Pennsylvania
 |date        = 2001-11-09
 |url         = http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lanco/cwp/view.asp?a=15&Q=257050
 |accessdate  = 2006-07-07
 |url-status     = dead
 |archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20051226225247/http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lanco/cwp/view.asp?a=15&Q=257050
 |archivedate = 2005-12-26
}}</ref>

The bridge had a double span, wooden, double [[Burr arch truss]]es design.  It was painted red on the outside, the traditional color of [[Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Lancaster County]] covered bridges.  Both approaches to the bridge were painted in the traditional white color.

The bridge's [[World Guide to Covered Bridges|WGCB]] Number is 38-36-21.  In 1980 it was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] as structure number 80003537.<ref name="register">{{cite web
  | title = PENNSYLVANIA  - Lancaster County
  | work = National Register of Historic Places
  | url = http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/PA/Lancaster/state2.html
  | accessdate = 2007-03-20
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303174902/http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/PA/Lancaster/state2.html
  | archive-date = 2016-03-03
  | url-status = dead
  }}</ref>  It was located at {{coord|40|0|35.4|N|76|9|43.8|W|type:city}} (40.00983, -76.16217),<ref name="Travis">{{cite web
  | author = Travis, Dale 
  | title = 38-36-21
  | work = Round Barns & Covered Bridges
  | date = 
  | url = http://www.dalejtravis.com/bridge/pennsylv/htm/3803621.htm
  | accessdate = 2006-08-08 }}</ref>  in [[Paradise Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Paradise Township]] on Ronks Road 0.4&nbsp;km (0.25&nbsp;mi) south of [[U.S. Route 30]] to the east of [[Lancaster, Pennsylvania|Lancaster city]].<ref name="padutchcountry"/>

== History ==
Herr's Mill Covered Bridge was built in 1844 by Joseph Elliot and Robert Russell at a cost of [[U.S. dollar|$]]1787.<ref name="guide">{{cite web
 |author=Dr. Roger A. McCain 
 |title=Herr's Mill Bridge 
 |work=A Guide to Old Covered Bridges of Southeastern Pennsylvania and nearby areas 
 |url=http://william-king.www.drexel.edu/top/bridge/CBHerr.html 
 |accessdate=2006-08-03 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060907092809/http://william-king.www.drexel.edu/top/bridge/CBHerr.html 
 |archivedate=2006-09-07 
}}</ref>  It has a double-span, double-arch [[Burr arch truss]] construction.  In 1875, the bridge was rebuilt by [[James C. Carpenter]] at a cost of $1860.<ref name="padutchcountry"/>  The bridge was later bypassed by a new concrete bridge and is now on the  private property of the '''Mill Bridge Village''' Camping Resort. Owner Brian Kopan was quoted as saying "The bridge is in fine condition. We’re hoping to keep it as it is." In October 2018, the bridge was dismantled and was being moved to Elizabethtown, before it fell into the creek.<ref name="Robinson">{{cite web
 |author      = Robinson, Ryan
 |title       = Rebirth of a covered bridge?
 |work        = LancasterOnline.com : News
 |publisher   = Lancaster Newspapers
 |date        = 2006-09-30
 |url         = http://local.lancasteronline.com/4/26288
 |accessdate  = 2006-10-01
 |url-status     = dead
 |archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20070527235752/http://local.lancasteronline.com/4/26288
 |archivedate = 2007-05-27
}}</ref>

== Dimensions ==
*'''Length:''' 178 [[Foot (length)|feet]] (54.3 m) total length<ref name="guide"/><ref name="Bickel">{{cite web
  | author = Bickel, Hank
  | title = Herr Mill / Souderburg Bridge  
  | work = Covered Bridges of the Northeast USA
  | date = 2005-06-23
  | url = http://www.coveredbridgesite.com/pa/herr_mill.html
  | accessdate = 2006-08-04 }}</ref><ref name="dimensions">''Note:'' Two independent sources disagree on this length.  In other covered bridges, the McCain source agreed more closely with official government sources while the Bickel source seemed incorrect or perhaps just measuring a different length.  In this case, the Bickel source states that the bridge length is 113 feet (34.4 m).</ref>
*'''Width:''' 15 feet (4.6 m) total width

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Herr's Mill Covered Bridge Wide View 3000px.jpg|The side of the bridge showing part of the main road to the left and Herr's Mill to the right
Image:Herr's Mill Covered Bridge Side View 2696px.jpg|Another picture of the same side
Image:Herr's Mill Covered Bridge Back Side View 3000px.jpg|The other side of the bridge
Image:Herr's Mill Covered Bridge Alternate Front and Side 3008px.jpg
Image:Herr's Mill Covered Bridge Side and Front 3264px.jpg
Image:Herr's Mill Covered Bridge and Buggy 2600px.jpg|A [[horse and buggy]] going past the bridge
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Burr truss|Burr arch truss]]
*[[List of Lancaster County covered bridges]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Herr's Mill Covered Bridge}}

{{National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania}}
{{NRHP bridges}}

[[Category:Covered bridges in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Covered bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1844]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Wooden bridges in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Burr Truss bridges in the United States]]