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Fort Hunter or Everhart, Dauphin County

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Inventory Number: PA/38-22-05x
County: Dauphin County
Township: Susquehanna
Town/Village:
Bridge Name: Fort Hunter or Everhart
Crosses: dry land
Truss type: Multiple Kingpost
Spans: 1
Length: 36'
Roadway Width:
Built: 1880s (M1940)
Builder:
When Lost: 1979
Cause: Dismantled
Latitude: N40 20.46
Longitude: W076 54.54
See a map of the area
Topographic map of the area
Directions: East of Front Street (SR3009) approximately in the middle of the Fort Hunter property.

Fort Hunter or Everhart Bridge, Susquehanna, Dauphin County, PA. Built 1880s (M1940) Dismantled 1979
Traugott Keller Photograph, 1958, NSPCB Archives

Comments:
The first bridge at this location was fomerly WGN PA/38-50-36 in Perry County. 6-panel truss. It was moved from its former site of Little Buffalo Road (SR4010 - LR50035) between Centre and Juniata Townships about 17 miles (as the crow flies) to the Fort Hunter Museum in 1940. Mrs. Margaret Wister Meigs, founder of the museum, was looking for a covered bridge for some time to put on the grounds. She found this bridge in Perry County, about to be torn down by the Pennsylvania State Highway Department. She purchased the bridge for $70.00 and had it dismantled and moved to the museum grounds. When rebuilt, the length was reduced to 36', but the roof retained much of the original length of 52'6" by extending beyond the portals on both sides by 8 feet. Fortunately, it survived the floods from Tropical Storm Agnes in June 1972, but rapidly deteriorated afterwards. It was carefully dismantled in 1979 and placed in storage for later rebuilding when necessary funds would become available. The remainder of this entry comes courtesy of the Fort Hunter Museum. The year 2006 marked the 50th anniversary of the Friends of Fort Hunter. Their interest, together with that of the Board of Trustees of Fort Hunter, was a significant factor in the reconstruction of the Everhart Bridge. Upon recent examination of the original timbers, stored in the large barn on the property, it was discovered that two dismantlings and 40 years of sitting on the ground had caused severe rot and rendered the original timbers unusable. They were carefully measured to use as patterns for the current reconstruction. Two original timbers were retained and are in the reconstructed bridge. It has a clearance of 11' 3". It was rebuilt during the first half of 2006 to the west of Front Street (SR3009) and now spans a drainage ditch, which sometimes has water running through it. It was officially rededicated on Saturday, June 10, 2006.

Source:

Compilation 2026 Covered Spans of Yesteryear

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