Editing Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge

{{short description|Covered bridge in Pennsylvania, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox bridge
|bridge_name   = Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge
|native_name   = 
|image         = Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge Side View 3000px.jpg
|image_size    = 300px
|alt           = 
|caption       = 
|official_name = Big Conestoga #6 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|133|ft}}
|width         = 
|height        = 
|load          = 
|clearance     = 
|below         = 
|traffic       = 
|builder       = [[Elias McMellen]]
|begin         = 1867
|complete      = 
|open          = 
|coordinates   = {{coord|40.1053|-76.2482|type:landmark_region:US-PA|display=inline,title}}
}}
The '''Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge''' is a [[covered bridge]] that spans the [[Conestoga River]] in [[Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Lancaster County]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[United States]]. A county-owned and maintained bridge, its official designation is the '''Big Conestoga #6 Bridge'''.<ref name="lancaster.pa.us">{{cite web
  | title = Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge
  | work = Lancaster County, PA Government Portal
  | publisher = County of Lancaster, Pennsylvania
  | date = 2001-10-30
  | url = http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lanco/cwp/view.asp?a=15&q=257197
  | accessdate = 2006-07-07
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927000444/http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lanco/cwp/view.asp?a=15&q=257197
  | archive-date = 2007-09-27
  | url-status = dead
  }}</ref> The bridge is also known as '''Pinetown Covered Bridge''', '''Nolte's Point Mill Bridge''' and '''Bushong's Mill Bridge'''.

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 [[List of Lancaster County covered bridges|Lancaster County covered bridges]], on both the inside and outside.  Both approaches to the bridge are painted in red with white trim.

The bridge's [[World Guide to Covered Bridges|WGCB]] Number is 38-36-05.  Added in 1980, it is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] as structure number 80003527.<ref name="register">{{cite web
  | title = PENNSYLVANIA  - Lancaster County
  | work = National Register of Historic Places
  | url = http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/PA/Lancaster/state4.html
  | accessdate = 2007-03-20}}</ref>  It is located at {{coord|40|6|19.2|N|76|14|53.4|W|type:city}} (40.10533, -76.24817).<ref name="Travis">{{cite web
  | author = Travis, Dale 
  | title = 38-36-05
  | work = Round Barns & Covered Bridges
  | date = 
  | url = http://www.dalejtravis.com/bridge/pennsylv/htm/3803605.htm
  | accessdate = 2006-08-08 }}</ref>

[[Lititz Run]] joins the Conestoga River at this site.

==History==
The bridge was built in 1867 by [[Elias McMellen]] at a cost of [[U.S. dollar|$]]4,500.  In 1972 it was destroyed as a result of flooding caused by [[Hurricane Agnes]].  Due to a tremendous response of area residents who signed a petition for its reconstruction, it was among the first covered bridges to be restored after Agnes.  In the spring of 1973 the bridge was rebuilt by the nearby Amish.  To prevent damage due to future flooding, they raised the bridge to {{convert|17|ft|6|in}} above the average water line.<ref name="padutchcountry">{{cite web
  | title = Pinetown 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/pinetown_covered_bridge.asp
  | accessdate = 2006-07-07 }}</ref> However, the bridge was closed after flood damage sustained due to [[Tropical Storm Lee (2011)|Tropical Storm Lee]] in 2011.<ref>{{cite web | title=Commissioners Order Damage Assessment for all County-Owned Bridges | publisher=Lancaster County, Pennsylvania | url=http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lanco/cwp/view.asp?Q=652074&A=15&lancoNav= | accessdate=2011-09-11 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729161305/http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lanco/cwp/view.asp?Q=652074&A=15&lancoNav= | archive-date=2012-07-29 | url-status=dead }}</ref>  The bridge was reopened in January 2014.<ref>{{cite web | title=Pinetown covered bridge to reopen this week | publisher=LancasterOnline | url=http://lancasteronline.com/news/pinetown-covered-bridge-to-reopen-this-week/article_bb010363-0591-51b1-bbc8-395ce7aa7c76.html }}</ref>

==Dimensions==
<ref name="lancaster.pa.us"/>
*'''Length:''' {{Convert|124|ft}} [[Span (architecture)|span]] and {{Convert|133|ft}} total length
*'''Width:''' {{Convert|12|ft|10|in}} clear deck and {{Convert|15|ft}} total width<ref name="McCain">{{cite web
  | author = McCain, Dr. Roger A.
  | title = Pinetown Bridge
  | work = A Guide to Old Covered Bridges of Southeastern Pennsylvania and nearby areas
  | url = http://william-king.www.drexel.edu/top/bridge/CBPinetown.html
  | accessdate = 2006-08-04
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060908185231/http://william-king.www.drexel.edu/top/bridge/CBPinetown.html
  | archive-date = 2006-09-08
  | url-status = dead
  }}</ref>
*'''Overhead clearance:''' {{Convert|11|ft|6|in}}
*'''Underclearance:''' {{Convert|15|ft}} as listed by the county government<ref name="lancaster.pa.us"/> or {{Convert|17|ft|6|in}} with respect to the average water level<ref name="padutchcountry"/>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge Side 3008px.jpg|A view of the bridge from the side
Image:Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge Approach 2913px.jpg|One of the approaches to the bridge
Image:Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge Inside HDR 2620px.jpg|The inside of the bridge showing the [[Burr arch truss]]
Image:Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge Inside Window HDR 3263px.jpg|A view from inside of the window on the side of the bridge
</gallery>

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

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{commons category|Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge}}

{{Crossings navbox
|structure       = Bridges
|place           = [[Conestoga River]]
|bridge          = Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge
|bridge signs    = 
|upstream        = Bushong Road Bridge
|upstream signs  = 
|downstream      = [[Hunsecker's Mill Covered Bridge]]
|downstream signs = 
}}

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

[[Category:Covered bridges in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1867]]
[[Category:Covered bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Bridges over the Conestoga River]]
[[Category:1867 establishments 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]]