Lancaster PA Road Trip – 8 of 14

by usathroughoureyes

Welcome back everyone to our Lancaster PA road trip part 8 and picking up where we left off last.

After our lunch at Wimpy and Dee’s we were off again to locate more of PA’s covered bridges.  During our travels around Lancaster, PA we located 8 covered bridges  including; Erb’s, Shearer’s, Keller’s Mill, Kauffman’s Distillery, Schenk’s Mill, Colemanville, White Rock Forge, and Kurtz’s Mill Covered Bridges.  Each one almost exact in construction though built by different builders.  The bridges averaged 100 feet in length, 15 feet wide, built using oak, fashioned using the Burr arch truss  design and costing on average, $6,700.00 per bridge.  That per bridge cost would be around the equivalent of $162,000.00 today.

Of all the bridges we traveled over, walked on and examined there was one we marveled at most.  It  was the Colemanville Covered Bridge built by Elias McMellen  in June of 1869.  It wasn’t the structure that fascinated us but the story of the man that built it.  After he was awarded the contract to build it the Civil War was going into it’s peak so he had to put it on hold because McMellen enlisted in the Civil War to fight for its cause.  During the war, he was wounded 3 times before finally mustering out and returning home to Lancaster in 1865.  Once home, he then resumed building the bridge for which he had given his word he would complete.  McMellen built nearly a dozen covered bridges across Lancaster County in his lifetime. Wow, isn’t this amazing, wounded three times in war before returning home to follow through on his prior commitments.  This is a man of integrity and his word.  Aren’t the men and women of this Country great!!!

Don’t forget that if you click on any of these images you’ll be able to see their beauty in full screen mode as a slide show. When you are done viewing it just click on the “x” in the upper right hand corner to return to the post.

Well this is it for today.  If you by chance didn’t see a part please click on one of the links below and be whisked directly there,

We hope you will come back to see where we ended up next on our Lancaster, PA journey.  Until then, have a great day and please remember to keep looking up.

For more images please click on this link and visit Audrey on Instagram.

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~ USA Through Our Eyes ~ Stories Told Through Words, Photographs, Videos and Sound

65 thoughts on “Lancaster PA Road Trip – 8 of 14”

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  17. When I see covered bridges all I can think of is the headless horseman and Ichabod Crane just trying to make it across that bridge!

    Liked by 1 person

  20. Pingback: Lancaster PA Road Trip – 10 of 14 | "USA Through Our Eyes"

  23. Sooooo true. Its funny because we just had that conversation too. There comes a time when we look at each other and just know we need to nap and re-approach the situation. We think we did most of our careers and life sleep-deprived. We wonder sometimes how people function with just a few hours sleep and spinning 50 plates.

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  28. Thank you Robbie. We learned so much reading about their lifestyles and visiting there to be near them. They are a very private group but are so kind and willing to work, walk, play, accept and be around everyone. It is so nice having you along with us and be able to hear your thoughts.

    Liked by 1 person

  29. This is nice to hear how our site is enjoyable for you. Our eyes and minds were opened as we were in Lancaster and studying the Amish lifestyle. It is so nice to learn from all people because everyone has something to offer the world.

    Liked by 1 person

  34. Learning a lot from this blog. I was talking to a friend about the Amish community from one of your posts. I was surprised that he knew all about them.
    Wounded 3 times and he returns home and keeps his word. Great story of integrity. Your journey has turned into an education one for me and I am enjoying the learnng

    Liked by 2 people

  35. A lovely and interesting post. These covered bridges are really attractive and useful. The story of the man behind them is also really fascinating, some people’s commitment and tenacity is incredible.

    Liked by 1 person

  46. This is so nice of you to say Clarissa. We like Mircea’s thoughts and we believe this is often the case. We have learned so much about our area from others and then we go out and see it. When we are in NYC we often chuckle at how the locals most of the time can’t name the historical buildings they walk past each day.

    Liked by 1 person

  49. Pingback: Lancaster PA Road Trip – 9 of 14 | "USA Through Our Eyes"

  51. Amazing photos (I love clicking to the gallery view to really see them, along with your captions). I especially loved the story of the man who kept his commitment despite his wounds (not to mention that he felt it his duty to fight in the first place).

    If America is ever to be truly great again, it is men like this we ALL need to emulate – especially our politicians.
    xx,
    mgh
    (Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMORE dot com)
    ADD/EFD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder
    “It takes a village to transform a world!”

    Liked by 2 people

  53. So nice to see the photos of the covered bridge, I like the photo with the horse most of all. Very interesting to reed about Elias McMellen, a great man indeed! Greetings from the Netherlands for all of you.

    Liked by 1 person

  57. I never knew there were covered bridges in Pennsylvania although I camped all over the state. I think it was Mircea Eliade who said that it sometimes took a stranger to introduce one’s culture to those who didn’t know and you guys have certainly done that!

    Liked by 2 people

  64. I love covered bridges! Your pictures are amazing. It is interesting that McMellen came back from the war and continued on to complete his commitments. It seems a difference in expectations.

    Liked by 1 person

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