Bedford County Visitors Bureau

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Bedford County is blessed with 14 covered bridges. Built approximately 100 years ago by craftsmen who worked almost entirely by hand, these structures withstand the rain, snow and hard use of the traveling public. The county's bridges range in length from the 136 foot Herline Bridge near Manns Choice, PA to the 56 foot Palo Alto bridge south of Hyndman. Twelve spans are Burr-truss bridges, named after their designer, Theodore Burr. These bridges are held in place by a set of trusses that interact with the arch that spans the length of the bridges, creating added strength. A lot of people ask, "Why did they cover the bridges?". One answer is that wooden bridges with exposed superstructures can rot ... covering and roofing them protects them from the weather so they'll last longer.Bedford County is blessed with 14 covered bridges. Built approximately 100 years ago by craftsmen who worked almost entirely by hand, these structures withstand the rain, snow and hard use of the traveling public. The county's bridges range in length from the 136 foot Herline Bridge near Manns Choice, PA to the 56 foot Palo Alto bridge south of Hyndman. Twelve spans are Burr-truss bridges, named after their designer, Theodore Burr. These bridges are held in place by a set of trusses that interact with the arch that spans the length of the bridges, creating added strength. A lot of people ask, "Why did they cover the bridges?". One answer is that wooden bridges with exposed superstructures can rot ... covering and roofing them protects them from the weather so they'll last longer.