Program

Historic Transportation

Subject

Site, Transportation

Location

2173 French Creek Rd, Chester Springs, PA 19425, USA

Lat/Long

40.1475, -75.62075

Grant Recipient

The Theodore Burr Covered Bridge Society of PA

In 1850, a covered burr arch truss bridge was built across French Creek near the mouth of Birch Run in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The burr arch truss was an early 19th century wooden bridge design that combined an angled truss frame with a curved arch. Spanning 100 feet, the bridge over French Creek was significant to the surrounding community aiding in the transportation of goods and people. In particular, it allowed convenient travel to iron forges and saw, grist, and paper mills located along the water.

The names Sheeder and Hall derive from two prominent families that lived and worked in proximity to the bridge, and by the 1970s, the bridge was commonly called Sheeder-Hall Bridge. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. The bridge was later reinforced with concrete and steel, and in 2017 was fully rehabilitated after being closed to traffic for a short time.

Many early covered wooden bridges were destroyed or replaced by modern bridges. As one of the few that has survived and is still in use, Sheeder-Hall Bridge is a testament to the skills of early bridge builders and reflects the development of engineering and transportation in America.

Historic Markers Map