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Rapp's or Rapp's Dam, Chester County

If you find errors in the data please contact Bill Caswell.

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Inventory Number: PA/38-15-14
County: Chester County
Township: East Pikeland
Town/Village: Northwest of Phoenixville
Bridge Name: Rapp's or Rapp's Dam
Crosses: French Creek
Truss type: Burr (Double Arch)
Spans: 1
Length: 122' overall, 105' span
Roadway Width: 14'
Built: 1866
Builder: Benjamin Hartman and Company
When Lost: standing
Cause:
Latitude: N40 08.295
Longitude: W075 33.173
See a map of the area
Topographic map of the area
Directions: 0.8 miles northwest of jct PA113 on PA23, then 0.4 miles left on Rapp's Dam Rd. 2 miles northwest of Phoenixville.

Rapp's or Rapp's Dam Bridge, East Pikeland, Chester County, PA. Built 1866
Keith Glensky Photo, January 21, 2012

Rapp's or Rapp's Dam Bridge, East Pikeland, Chester County, PA. Built 1866
Bill Caswell Photo, April 21, 2012

Rapp's or Rapp's Dam Bridge, East Pikeland, Chester County, PA. Built 1866
Todd Clark Collection

Comments:
Chester County #188. 10-panel truss. Cost $3,595.50. Hurricane Agnes washed away part of the bridge and damaged the south wing walls in 1972. On April 29, 2014, an over height tractor-trailer drove through the bridge tearing out every roof brace. Two days later, floodwaters caused additional damage to the bridge. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 18, 1973.

Sources:
Evans, Benjamin D. & June R.. Pennsylvania's Covered Bridges, 2001, page 83
James, Arthur E.. Covered Bridges of Chester County, PA, 1976, page 103
Moll, Fred J.. Pennsylvania's Covered Bridges - Our Heritage, 2004, pages 88-89
Kipphorn, Thomas. Information received by email, May 2007
National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges. World Guide to Covered Bridges, 2021, page 106

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If the intended use is beyond these purposes, it is the responsibility of the user to obtain the appropriate permissions from the owner stated in the image's credits.