Editing Mercer's Mill Covered Bridge

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox bridge
|bridge_name   = Mercer's Mill Covered Bridge
|native_name   = 
|image         = Mercer's Mill Covered Bridge 2600px.jpg
|image_size    = 300px
|alt           = 
|caption       = 
|official_name = 
|other_name    = East Octoraro #2 Bridge
|carries       = 
|crosses       = 
|locale        = Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
|maint         = 
|id            = 
|designer      = 
|design        = single span, single [[Burr arch truss]]
|material      = 
|spans         = 
|pierswater    = 
|mainspan      = 
|length        = {{convert|80|ft|m|1}}
|width         = 
|height        = 
|load          = 
|clearance     = 
|below         = 
|traffic       = 
|builder       = B. J. Carter
|begin         = 1880
|complete      = 
|open          = 
|coordinates   = {{coord|39.9315|-75.9815|type:landmark_region:US-PA|display=inline,title}}
}}
The '''Mercer's Mill Covered Bridge''' or '''Mercer's Ford Covered Bridge''' is a [[covered bridge]] that spans the [[Octoraro Creek#East Branch Octoraro Creek|East branch of the Octoraro Creek]] on the border between [[Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Lancaster County]] and [[Chester County, Pennsylvania|Chester County]] in [[Pennsylvania]], [[United States]].<ref name="McCain">{{cite web
 |author      = McCain, Dr. Roger A.
 |title       = Mercer'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/CBMercer.html
 |accessdate  = 2006-08-03
 |url-status     = dead
 |archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20060907092705/http://william-king.www.drexel.edu/top/bridge/CBMercer.html
 |archivedate = 2006-09-07
}}</ref> A Lancaster County-owned and maintained bridge, its official designation is the '''East Octoraro #2 Bridge'''.<ref name="lancaster.pa.us">{{cite web
 |title       = Mercer's Mill Covered Bridge
 |work        = Lancaster County, PA Government Portal
 |publisher   = County of Lancaster, Pennsylvania
 |date        = 2001-10-20
 |url         = http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lanco/cwp/view.asp?a=15&Q=256819
 |accessdate  = 2006-07-07
 |url-status     = dead
 |archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927000108/http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lanco/cwp/view.asp?a=15&Q=256819
 |archivedate = 2007-09-27
}}</ref>

The bridge has a single span, wooden, double [[Burr arch truss]]es design with the addition of steel hanger rods.  The deck is made from oak planks.<ref name="lancaster.pa.us"/>  It is painted red, the traditional color of Lancaster County covered bridges, on both the inside and outside.  Both approaches to the bridge are painted in the traditional white color.  The bridge has a single window on only one side of the bridge.

The bridge's [[World Guide to Covered Bridges|WGCB]] Numbers are 38-15-19/38-36-38.  Added in 1980, it is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] as structure number 80003509.<ref name="register">{{cite web
  | title = PENNSYLVANIA  - Lancaster County
  | work = National Register of Historic Places
  | url = http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/PA/Lancaster/state3.html
  | accessdate = 2007-03-20}}</ref>  It is located at {{coord|39|55|53.4|N|75|58|53.4|W|type:city}} (39.93150, -75.98150).<ref name="Travis">{{cite web
  | author = Travis, Dale 
  | title = 38-15-19/38-36-38
  | work = Round Barns & Covered Bridges
  | date = 
  | url = http://www.dalejtravis.com/bridge/pennsylv/htm/3801519.htm
  | accessdate = 2006-08-08 }}</ref> The bridge is located in [[Sadsbury Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Sadsbury Township]], 0.5 miles (0.8&nbsp;km) south of [[Christiana, Pennsylvania|Christiana]] on Bailey Crossroads Road off Creek Road, to the south of Pennsylvania Route 372.<ref name="padutch">{{cite web
  | title = Mercer'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/mercer_s_mill_covered_bridge.asp
  | accessdate = 2006-07-07 }}</ref>

== History ==
The bridge was built in 1880 by B. J. Carter.<ref name="padutch"/> Along with the [[Pine Grove Covered Bridge]] (built in 1884), it was one of a number of covered bridges built along the border between Lancaster and Chester counties.

== Dimensions ==
Source:<ref name="lancaster.pa.us"/>
*'''Length:''' 80 [[Foot (length)|feet]] (26.5 m) [[Span (architecture)|span]] <sup>''Note:''</sup><ref name="dimensions">McCain's length, clear width, and total width measurements (86 feet (26.2 m), 14 feet 5 inches (4.4 m), and 15 feet (4.6 m) respectively) differ from the Lancaster County government's 87 foot (26.5 m) span length and 15 feet 4 inch (4.7 m) clear deck width.  The government's numbers are used, however it is not clear what the correct measurements are.</ref>
*'''Width:''' 15 feet 4&nbsp;inches (4.7 m) <sup>''Note:''</sup><ref name="dimensions"/>
*'''Overhead clearance:''' 11 feet 6&nbsp;inches (3.5 m)
*'''Underclearance:'''  13 feet 6&nbsp;inches (4.1 m)

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode=packed heights=140>
Image:Mercer's Mill Covered Bridge Side 3000px.jpg
Image:Mercer's Mill Covered Bridge Lancaster Approach 3008px.jpg
Image:Mercer's Mill Covered Bridge Window 3008px.jpg
Image:Mercer's Mill Covered Bridge Inside HDR 3008px.jpg
Image:Mercer's Mill Covered Bridge Inside 2000px.jpg
Image:Mercer's Mill Covered Bridge Underside 2964px.jpg
Image:Mercer's_Mill_Covered_Bridge-from_the_air_2.jpg
Image:Mercer's_Mill_Covered_Bridge-from_the_air.jpg
</gallery>

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

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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

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

[[Category:Covered bridges in Chester County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Covered bridges in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1880]]
[[Category:Covered bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Chester County, Pennsylvania]]
[[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]]