The (Not so) Rural Pennsylvanian

  • That’s a Lot of Concrete (and a bonus park)

    Looming over the town of Nicholson, Pennsylvania is the Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct, a railroad bridge completed in 1915. It is a concrete deck arch bridge on the Nicholson Cutoff rail segment of the Norfolk Southern Railway Sunbury Line that spans Tunkhannock Creek. Measuring 2,375 feet (724 m) long and 240 feet (73.15 m) tall when measured from the creek bed (300 feet (91.44 m) from bedrock), it was the largest concrete structure in the world when completed in 1915 and still merited “the title of largest concrete bridge in America, if not the world” 50 years later. Built by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, the bridge is owned today by Norfolk Southern Railway and is still used daily for regular through freight service. Apparently almost half of the bulk of this behemoth is underground, in the form of bridge pillars up to 138 feet (142 m) below ground.

    The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 11, 1977. In 1975, the American Society of Civil Engineers or ASCE designated the bridge as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. ASCE recognized the bridge as “not only a great feat of construction skill” but also a “bold and successful departure from contemporary, conventional concepts of railroad location in that it carried a mainline transversely to the regional drainage pattern, effectively reducing the distance and grade impediments…”

    The bridge towers over the town of Nicholson.
    A view further upstream.
    The cows don’t seem to notice the vast structure.

    I also swung by Lackawanna State Park on my way back from the bridge. The 1,445-acre park is ten miles north of Scranton. The focus is the 198-acre Lackawanna Lake, which is surrounded by picnic areas and multi-use trails winding through forest. Boating, camping, fishing, mountain biking, and swimming are popular recreation activities here.

    I’ve always wanted a canoe mooring on a lake.
    At least these geese don’t mind the weather.
    Another rainy late spring day ….
    Great spot for a picnic and a boat trip.

  • Waterfalls and a Slightly Confusing Name

    Nestled in the far north of Susquehanna County not far from the New York line, Salt Springs State Park feels like one of the more remote state parks in Pennsylvania. It is well known for its deep gorge with three waterfalls, old growth hemlock trees and the salt spring which gives the park its name. It is unusual among state parks in that it is managed by the Friends of Salt Springs State Park, a volunteer organization. The Friends also own and operate an adjacent tract of land. Prior to becoming a park, Salt Springs was the homestead of the Wheaton family. The park offers hiking, camping, picnicking, and educational programming.

    A beautiful waterfall. The bank is eroded away by flooding and it takes some scrambling to reach the falls.
    Beautiful spot for a picnic.
    Dramatically perched trees along the gorge.
    The Barn
    An organic garden.
    This is a private residence. The Wheaton House is to the left in the back.
    A lovely little bridge from the camping area.

    I visited on a rainy day which cut short some of my planned activities. I had intended to find the salt spring which is near the main homestead. From looking at photos and video on the internet, this spring is gurgle bubbling up through a pipe in a small hole in the ground. It does not seem like a main feature of the park which bears its name.

    The park is lovely, especially along Salt Springs Road.

    A lovely view over the fields.
    There is a great mix of green here.
    A calmer section of Fall Brook.

  • A Lake and a Pond

    Prompton State Park and the Varden Conservation Area are located near each other in northeastern Pennsylvania’s Wayne County. Prompton State Park provides boat launching and picnicking facilities for the 290-acre Prompton Lake, which is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. There are twenty-six miles of hiking trails which surround the lake and a disc golf course.

    Morning mists on Prompton Lake ….
    A little disc golf by the lake.
    A view of the substantial dam.
    The west branch of Lackawanna Creek.
    Half mast for Memorial Day.

    A gift from veterinarian Dr. Mead Shaffer, the 444-acre Varden Conservation Area is in an area that was once a remote section of the state, but which is now beginning to feel pressure from development. The land is conserved as open space with opportunities for low impact recreation and educational use. It is a great place to learn about Pennsylvania’s natural history. There is picnicking by and fishing in the pond. There is also hiking in the two tracts which constitute this conservation area. I visited the Tannery Road Tract.

    The lovely pond can be used for fishing.
    Morning mists on an unseasonably cool day.
    Beautiful irises are indicative of the seasonal flora of this area.

  • A Little Piece of Paradise

    I made two recent trips to Dixon Meadow Preserve in Montgomery County to see a sora (seen) and a yellow crowned night heron (not seen), This Preserve provides some great bird habitat in the suburbs, especially in connection with the adjacent Erdenheim Farm. With its 14 acres rand boardwalk measuring nearly two-thirds of a mile, the Preserve is a haven for birders, walkers and those who simply enjoy the area’s natural beauty

    Purchased by the McCausland family in 2009, Erdenheim farm is home to prize winning Cheviot Sheep, Black Angus cattle, and elegant Morgan Horses. Situated on close to 450 acres, Erdenheim Farm remains one of the last sanctuaries of pastoral life within the greater Philadelphia area.

    A view of Dixon Meadow Preserve,
    A stream wanders through the Preserve and under the boardwalk.
    Redbud in bloom.
    Erdenheim Farm Black Angus at twilight.

  • Kurtz’s Mill Covered Bridge

    Kurtz’s Mill Covered Bridge is a covered bridge over Mill Creek in Lancaster County Central Park. The bridge is also known as the County Park Covered Bridge, Baer’s Mill Covered Bridge, Isaac Baer’s Mill Bridge, Keystone Mill Covered Bridge, Binder Tongue Carrier Covered Bridge, and Mill 2A Covered Bridge (that’s a lot of names). The bridge is used by road traffic from within the park to access a picnic pavilion.

    Kurtz’s Mill Covered Bridge

    The bridge has a single span, wooden, double burr arch trusses design with the addition of steel hanger rods. The deck is made from oak planks. It is painted red, the traditional color of Lancaster County covered bridges, on both the inside and outside. Both approaches to the bridge are painted in red with white trim. It has a 94 foot span.

    The span of the bridge from the trail below. Excuse the backlighting.

    The bridge was built in 1876 by W. W. Upp over the Conestoga River. In 1972, it was damaged by the floodwaters caused by Hurricane Agnes. It was repaired by David Esh in 1975 and moved to its present location in the Lancaster County Park over Mill Creek, a tributary of the Conestoga River. Unlike most historic covered bridges in the county, it is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

    The banks of Mill Creek

  • Horned Larks and Goodbye to Winter

    Disclaimer: There are no pictures of horned larks in this post

    The grapevine (okay, Ebird) continued to carry news of horned larks, Lapland longspurs, and snow buntings in farmers’ fields in northwestern Chester County near Honeybrook. As mentioned in my previous post, I had visited this area over the Winter in connection with a trip to try to find a snowy owl that had briefly been seen nearby. On the first try, I had no luck. This time around I spotted horned larks in small flocks, which is a new species for my life list. This is a very picturesque area with lovely farms that merited more photos.

    This young farmer was fertilizing his fields for Spring.

    Here’s a better look.

    Cattle feeding and soaking up the sun.

    Two Amish schoolhouses are close to each other in this area.

    Some looks at the farms and fields.

    The plastic tubes are there to protect the young trees as they grow along this riparian boundary. The tubes will biodegrade over time.

    Pennsylvania “standing stones.”

  • The Wertz Covered Bridge

    The Wertz Covered Bridge, also known as the Red Covered Bridge (but aren’t most of them), is a historic wooden covered bridge located at Bern Township and Spring Township in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

    The bridge is a 204-foot-long, Burr Truss bridge, constructed in 1867. It crosses the Tulpehocken Creek. It serves as the walkway entrance to the Berks County Heritage Center, which also includes the Gruber Wagon Works. It is one of only five covered bridges remaining in Berks County. It is the largest single-span covered bridge in Pennsylvania.

    The bridge was restored in 1959 and later in 1984, however, when the Warren Street Bypass opened, the bridge was closed permanently in October, 1959. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 17, 1978.

    The bridge is part of the Berks County Heritage Center, an historical interpretive complex commemorating important eras of Berks County cultural history. The Gruber Wagon Works (a National Historic Landmark) the C. Howard Hiester Canal Center, Wertz’s Covered Bridge, Melcher’s Grist Mill, Deppen Cemetery, Bicentennial Eagle Memorial, the Distlefink statue and a salad and herb garden are all encompassed within the Heritage Center.

    The view from Tulpehocken Road.
    Inside Pennsylvania’s longest single span covered bridge.
    The Bat Colony of the bridge. I love bats. They eat insects and are so cute.
    A look around the Berks County Heritage Center…
    A look up at the bridge.
    The view from the other end.
    Tulpehocken Creek

  • One Bridge to Rule Them All

    The Pomeroy-Academia Covered Bridge in Port Royal, Juniata County is the longest remaining covered bridge in Pennsylvania.

    The bridge was built in 1902 and is 278 feet long. It is a single-lane, double-span wooden covered bridge which crosses the Tuscarora Creek. Its design is based on the Burr truss developed by Theodore Burr, who was a preeminent bridge designer and builder. This bridge has been owned by the Juniata County Historical Societysince 1962. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

    A view of the bridge. It is so long it has a center support.
    Let’s look inside.
    Looking toward the new road bridge.
    A view of Tuscarora Creek.

    Downstreem and off on the tributary Licking Creek, one finds the Lehman Covered Bridge, an historic covered bridge located near Port Royal in Juniata County. It is a Double Burr Arch truss bridge and was built in 1888. It measures 107 feet and has vertical siding, windows at eave level, and a gable roof. It was damaged during Hurricane Agnes in 1972, and subsequently rebuilt. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

    To the south is the Delville Covered Bridge. This bridge is located at Dellville, Perry County. It is a 174-foot-long, three span, Burr truss bridge over Sherman Creek, constructed in 1889. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. On November 3, 2014, the bridge was significantly damaged in a fire that police believe to have been caused by arson. By early 2019, most of the structure has been completely restored back to its original condition.

    There is a nice little park around this bridge for a picnic.
    Sherman Creek.

    Some additional bridges on upstream on Sherman Creek are pictured in my blog post on Sherman’s Valley.

  • Some Very Special Bridges

    Columbia County is home to a unique pair of bridges. The Twin Bridges, named East Paden and West Paden, are located on Huntington Creek. They were constructed in 1884 by W. C. Pennington for $720, and are named after John Paden, who operated a nearby sawmill. Twin Bridges County Park was created in 1963 when a new road bypassed the bridges.

    The original West Paden was washed away by floods waters in June 2006. It was reconstructed in 2008. The bridges are open to foot traffic and contain picnic tables. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

    The rebuilt West Paden Bridge – you can see a bit of the new road bridge to the left.
    A very refreshing dip in Huntington Creek.
    The view from the side, and picnickers with the downward view.
    The shady inside.
    The entrance from the East Paden side.
    A view from the park of both bridges.
    Inside East Paden.
    Casting an interesting shadow.

    Now for a bonus bridge – down the road a short distance is the Josiah Hess Covered Bridge. It has a deep woods feeling compared to the Paden Bridges. You can walk through this bridge.

    The Josiah Hess Bridge.
    A very shady interior.
    Down the side, from the other end of the bridge.

  • And They’re Back …

    This past Labor Day Weekend was spent trying to see the covered bridges in Columbia County that I had not previously viewed. I was able to see the remaining bridges, except the Lawrence L. Knoebel Covered Bridge inside Knoebels Grove, which was skipped due to the holiday weekend. It wasn’t visible from the road. The weather was nice this day, unlike on some of my other recent covered bridge adventures. I’ve put most of the rest of Columbia County’s bridges in this post, leaving a special grouping until another day.

    The Columbia County bridges are painted red, although some do have white trim. All but one of the bridges pictured below are in the southern part of the county, south of Route 80.

    The Krickbaum Covered Bridge
    The Richards Covered Bridge
    The Johnson Covered Bridge
    Parrs Mill Covered Bridge – access to this one is blocked, and I’m not that ambitious.
    The Esther Furnace Covered Bridge
    A good side view here.
    The Davis Covered Bridge
    The Snyder Covered Bridge.
    Good access for the side view here.
    The Hollingshead Covered Bridge near Catawissa.

    I had also previously missed the Covered Bridge in Briar Creek Lake Park near Berwick (and north of 80). I manged to accidentally photograph this one in black and white. Don’t ask.

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