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Bogert's, Lehigh County

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

If you would like to provide information on covered bridges that no longer exist from your state, or adopt a state to work on, we would certainly welcome your assistance. Please contact Trish Kane for more information.

Inventory Number: PA/38-39-01
County: Lehigh County
Township: Allentown
Town/Village:
Bridge Name: Bogert's
Crosses: Little Lehigh Creek
Truss type: Burr
Spans: 1+
Length: 172' overall, 162' span
Roadway Width: 18'
Built: 1841
Builder:
When Lost: standing
Cause:
Latitude: N40 34.149
Longitude: W075 29.917
See a map of the area
Topographic map of the area
Directions: 0.4 miles south of I-78 (Exit 57) in Alton Park on Lehigh St., then right 0.8 miles on Oxford Dr. (SR2007) and right then quick left on Fish Hatchery Rd. Southwest edge of Allentown.

Bogert's Bridge, Allentown-Salisbury, Lehigh County, PA. Built 1841
Richard Donovan / Trish Kane Collection

Bogert's Bridge, Allentown-Salisbury, Lehigh County, PA. Built 1841
Herbert Richter Photo, May 31, 1958, NSPCB Archives

Bogert's Bridge, Allentown-Salisbury, Lehigh County, PA. Built 1841
© Lisa Plamondon

Bogert's Bridge, Allentown-Salisbury, Lehigh County, PA. Built 1841
Bill Caswell Photo, November 27, 2011

Bogert's Bridge, Allentown-Salisbury, Lehigh County, PA. Built 1841
Bill Caswell Photo, February 4, 2016

Bogert's Bridge, Allentown, Lehigh County, PA Built 1841
Bill & Jenn Caswell Photo, January 31, 2026

Comments:
Closed. 12-panel truss. It was built in 1841 on property settled by the Bogert family. Depending on the source, the length is anywhere from 145' to 162' to 172' long with an 18' roadway. Per The Morning Call (Allentown), April 13, 1910, Bogert's Bridge was known as County Bridge #15. It was identified as 157' long, 20' wide and in Class D condition needing to be raised to Class C. The Allentown Morning Call of Wednesday, April 13, 1910, noted that "the lower chords are sunken below the camber line. The arches are rotted where they bear on the masonry. The bridge should be raised to a Class ‘C’ bridge." On Wednesday, January 25, 1911, the paper reported that four of Lehigh County’s covered bridges would receive repairs: "Furnace Bridge Sixth Ward; Bogert’s Bridge, across Little Lehigh; Schleicher’s Bridge over the Jordan below Schnecksville; Geiger’s Bridge over Jordan, near Col. H. C. Trexler’s farm." On May 8, 1956, Edgar Muth was driving a payloader across the bridge and followed by his wife, Blanche, driving a dump truck. According to the news article, the payloader hit a dip, bounced and took out two 8"x8" beams from the top of the bridge and several wooden braces. One of the beams struck Edgar who was hospitalized with facial injuries. The bridge remained open to traffic. A month later, on June 29th, a dump truck with its body up tore out a few roof braces. The bridge was closed for a few days for repairs. In early 1957, the state announced that the bridge would be replaced. That prompted formation of the "Save the Bogert's Bridge Committee." The local newspaper expressed support for repairs while published letters to the editor voiced opinions for and against replacement. The March 6th issue included letters of support from two NSPCB members, Herbert Richter and Henry Falk. On March 14, 1957, the State announced that the bridge would be bypassed and preserved. It was saved from destruction and a new bridge was built about 200' upstream (west). The covered bridge is now opened only to pedestrian traffic as the centerpiece of "Covered Bridge Park". What is left of the old roadway leading to the bridge on both sides is called Park Drive (no numerical designation). The bridge underwent an extensive repair project beginning in September 2025. The project is expected to be completed late summer 2026. It is listed as a single span Burr Truss, but it may actually be a Long Truss with auxiliary arches, as the "X" panels run the entire length.

Sources:
Evans, Benjamin D. & June R.. Pennsylvania's Covered Bridges, 2001, page 190
Kipphorn, Thomas. Information received by email, December 2007
National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges. World Guide to Covered Bridges, 2021, page 121

Compilation 2026 Covered Spans of Yesteryear

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