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Documenting North America's past & present covered bridges

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Welle Hess or Laubach , Columbia County

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Inventory Number: PA/38-19-13x
County: Columbia County
Township: Sugarloaf
Town/Village:
Bridge Name: Welle Hess or Laubach
Crosses: Fishing Creek
Truss type: Burr
Spans: 1
Length: 124'-0" span, 144'-0" overall
Roadway Width: 15'-0"
Built: 1871
Builder: Clinton and Montgomery Cole
When Lost: 19 Jul 1981
Cause: Collapsed
Latitude: N41 16.04
Longitude: W076 22.80
See a map of the area
Topographic map of the area
Directions: About ¼ mile north of the village of Laubach on what is now called Schoolhouse Drive, which was formerly LR19074 (now T825).

Welle Hess or Laubach Bridge, Sugarloaf, Columbia County, PA. Built 1871 Collapsed 19 Jul 1981
August 1971 Photo, Thomas G. Kipphorn Collection

Welle Hess or Laubach Bridge, Sugarloaf, Columbia County, PA. Built 1871 Collapsed 19 Jul 1981
Henry C. Falk Photo, Thomas G. Kipphorn Collection

Welle Hess or Laubach Bridge, Sugarloaf, Columbia County, PA. Built 1871 Collapsed 19 Jul 1981
Carl F. McDaniel Collection

Comments:
County #153. 14-panel truss. The Henry C. Falk files have a first bridge at the site that was washed away in July, 1848, but he was never able to determine if this was a covered bridge. A new bridge was built in 1871 by Clinton and Montgomery Cole for $1500.00. The clearance was 11'11". It collapsed into the creek on July 19, 1981. Following this, the site was abandoned. The stone abutments may still be there. According to a letter from Sara Boyle dated January 17, 1991: Part of it is at Heritage House, as stringer PA/38-19-d, one span 22', built 1983 in Orange Township. The other half (as told by neighbors) was built into a storage shed off Route 118. Private at a summer camp.

Sources:
Kipphorn, Thomas. Information received by email, May 2009
Kipphorn, Thomas. Information received by email, May 2006