Editing Neff's Mill Covered Bridge

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox bridge
|bridge_name   = Neff's Mill Covered Bridge
|native_name   = 
|image         = Neff's Mill Covered Bridge Side View 3000px.jpg
|image_size    = 300px
|alt           = 
|caption       = 
|official_name = Pequea #7 Bridge
|other_name    =
|carries       = 
|crosses       = 
|locale        = Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
|maint         = 
|id            = 
|designer      = 
|design        = single span, double [[Burr arch truss]]
|material      = 
|spans         = 
|pierswater    = 
|mainspan      = 
|length        = {{convert|102|ft|m|1}}
|width         = 
|height        = 
|load          = 
|clearance     = 
|below         = 
|traffic       = 
|builder       = Built by Christian Brackbill<br />Rebuilt by [[James C. Carpenter]]
|begin         = 1824, rebuilt in 1875
|complete      = 
|open          = 
|coordinates   = {{coord|39.9788|-76.2258|type:landmark_region:US-PA|display=inline,title}}
}}
The '''Neff's Mill Covered Bridge''' or '''Bowman's Mill Covered Bridge''' is a [[covered bridge]] that spans the [[Pequea Creek]] on the border between [[West Lampeter Township, Pennsylvania|West Lampeter Township]] and [[Strasburg Township, Pennsylvania|Strasburg Township]] in [[Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Lancaster County]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[United States]].<ref name="Bickel">{{cite web
  | author = Bickel, Hank
  | title = Neff Mill Bridge
  | work = Covered Bridges of the Northeast USA
  | date = 2005-06-23
  | url = http://www.coveredbridgesite.com/pa/neff_mill.html
  | accessdate = 2006-08-04 }}</ref> A county-owned and maintained bridge, its official designation is the '''Pequea #7 Bridge'''.<ref name="lancaster.pa.us">{{cite web
 |title       = Neff'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=256826
 |accessdate  = 2006-07-07
 |url-status     = dead
 |archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927000115/http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lanco/cwp/view.asp?a=15&q=256826
 |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. It is purportedly the narrowest covered bridge in the county.<ref name="padutch">{{cite web
  | title = Neff'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/neff_s_mill_covered_bridge.asp
  | accessdate = 2006-07-07 }}</ref><ref name="mccain">{{cite web
 |author      = McCain, Dr. Roger A.
 |title       = Neff'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/CBNeff.html
 |accessdate  = 2006-08-03
 |url-status     = dead
 |archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20060907091553/http://william-king.www.drexel.edu/top/bridge/CBNeff.html
 |archivedate = 2006-09-07
}}</ref>

The bridge's [[World Guide to Covered Bridges|WGCB]] Number is 38-36-22. Added in 1980, it is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] as structure number 80003538.<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|58|43.8|N|76|13|33|W|type:city}} (39.97883, -76.22583), on Penn Grant Road 1.25 miles to the east of [[U.S. Route 222]] and to the south of [[West Lampeter Township, Pennsylvania|Lampeter, Pennsylvania]] and Pennsylvania Route 741.<ref name="Travis">{{cite web
  | author = Travis, Dale 
  | title = 38-36-22
  | work = Round Barns & Covered Bridges
  | date = 
  | url = http://www.dalejtravis.com/bridge/pennsylv/htm/3803622.htm
  | accessdate = 2006-08-08 }}</ref>

==History==
The covered bridge was originally built by Christian Brackbill in 1824 for an unknown cost. It was known as Bowman's Mill Covered Bridge. It was rebuilt in 1875 by [[James C. Carpenter]] at a cost of [[U.S. dollar|$]]1,860. Note: This is the narrowest covered bridge in the county.<ref name="Bickel"/><ref name="padutch"/>

== Dimensions ==
*'''Length:''' 90 [[Foot (length)|feet]] (27.4 m) [[Span (architecture)|span]] and {{convert|102|ft|m}} total length<sup>''Note:''</sup><ref name="dimensions">''Note:'' The dimensions of this bridge are not agreed on by multiple sources. The total length is published as either 102 or 103 feet, the clear deck width as 11 feet and 11 feet 7 inches. It is also unlikely that the bridge is actually 15 feet wide, given the limited clear deck width. The sign posted on the bridge indicates an overhead clearance of 11 feet, but the government source lists it as 11 feet, 6 inches.</ref>
*'''Width:''' {{convert|11|ft|7|in|m}} clear deck and {{convert|15|ft|m}} total width<sup>''Note:''</sup><ref name="dimensions"/>
*'''[[Overhead clearance]]:''' {{convert|11|ft|m}}<sup>''Note:''</sup><ref name="dimensions"/>
*'''[[Under clearance]]:''' {{convert|13|ft|6|in|m}}

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Neff's Mill Covered Bridge Wide 3008px.jpg|A wide view of the side of the bridge
Image:Neff's Mill Covered Bridge Three Quarters View HDR 3264px.jpg|A three-quarters view of the bridge
Image:Neff's Mill Covered Bridge Portal 2000px.jpg|One of the bridge's portals
Image:Neff's Mill Covered Bridge Interior 1952px.jpg|The inside of the bridge
Image:Neff's Mill Covered Bridge Inside 3008px.jpg|Closeup of the Burr arch truss design
Image:Neff's Mill Covered Bridge Inside HDR 3008px.jpg|The window and painted sign inside the bridge
</gallery>

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

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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

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

[[Category:Covered bridges in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1875]]
[[Category:Covered bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in 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]]