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Gilpin's Falls, Cecil County

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Inventory Number: MD/20-07-01
County: Cecil County
Township: Bay View
Town/Village:
Bridge Name: Gilpin's Falls
Crosses: North East Creek
Truss type: Multiple King & Arch
Spans: 1
Length: 119'
Roadway Width:
Built: 1860
Builder: Joseph George Johnson
When Lost: standing
Cause:
Latitude: N39 38.931
Longitude: W075 57.337
See a map of the area
Topographic map of the area
Directions: 1.0 miles north of jct I-95 (Exit 100B) on east side of MD272 (North East Rd.).

Gilpin's Falls Bridge, Bay View, Cecil County, MD Built 1860
Bill Caswell Photo

Gilpin's Falls Bridge, Bay View, Cecil County, MD Built 1860
Richard Roy Collection

Gilpin's Falls Bridge, Bay View, Cecil County, MD Built 1860 after 2010 restoration.
Bob Sheldon Photo, July 7, 2010

Gilpin's Falls Bridge, Bay View, Cecil County, MD Built 1860
Todd Clark Collection

Gilpin's Falls Bridge, Bay View, Cecil County, MD Built 1860
Bill Caswell Photo, July 28, 2013

Comments:
Closed. 10-panel truss. The Gilpin's Falls Bridge was built in 1860 by Joseph Johnson at a cost of $2,000. The 119’, single span bridge is Maryland’s longest covered bridge. It was probably named for Samuel Gilpin's flour mill which was once located near the bridge. The bridge was bypassed in 1936 and left abandoned. After the roof collapsed from a heavy snowfall in 1958, the Historical Society of Cecil County and The State Roads Commission of Maryland decided to do a major rehabilitation of the bridge. It was repaired in 1959 with a dedication ceremony was held in 1960. In 1989, the State did some repair work on the bridge and transferred ownership to Cecil County. However, much more was needed. As time went on, the bridge deteriorated more and estimates for repair work continued to increase. A local citizen, W. Earl Simmers, organized the Gilpin's Falls Covered Bridge Committee and raised funds for repair work. After two decades, his persistence finally paid off. In 2008, a grant was awarded as part of the National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation program. Additional grants arrived from the Maryland State Highway Administration and Maryland Historic Trust. These grants, along with private donations covered nearly all of the $1.4 million needed. The National Society for The Preservation of Covered Bridges donated $8,000 to fully fund the project. The Society awarded the money on the condition that changes made to Gilpin's Falls Bridge through the restoration process would be historically correct. The contract for the rehabilitation of Gilpin's was awarded to Kinsley Construction of Timonium, Maryland. Master Bridgewright Tim Andrews of Barns and Bridges of New England was in charge of restoring bridge trusses, reintroducing camber and straightening the bridge. The project started early in 2009 and continued for about a year. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on June 24, 2010. The bridge received a new coat of paint in May 2015.

Sources:
Maryland Covered Bridges website: http://www.mdcoveredbridges.com/gilpinsfalls.html
National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges. World Guide to Covered Bridges, 2021, page 37

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