The 7 Clarks Ferry Bridges

The 7 Clarks Ferry Bridges. . , The first bridge to cross here was constructed between 1827 - 1828 as a combination vehicular, pedestrian, animal transport and general utility structure. A flood destroyed it in less than 10 years. It is unknown if a painting exists of the first bridge. The first known photograph taken in the United States did not occur until 1839., These covered bridges were made from more than 1 million board feet of white pine lumber. The first bridge was 2,088 feet long and was divided into 10 spans - nine of which were 212 feet long, with one at 180 feet long. In 1888, it had the reputation of being the longest wooden covered bridge in the world., [Captions:] , This 1840 painting of the second Clarks Ferry Bridge by an unknown European artist hung in the home of Grace Hawley Duncan. It shows the "two galleries, one above the other" mentioned by Charles Dickens., The "galleries" were used to permit the mule or horse teams to proceed in both directions simultaneously on the downstream side of the bridge., Constructed in 1837, the second bridge lasted until 1846 when a flood carried away the eastern span. The rest was completely destroyed by fire just two months later, presumably by an arsonist., Photo - Dr. Ernest Coleman. , The third Clarks Ferry Bridge was built between 1846 - 1847., Philip Hone, Mayor of New York City, described it.,

"We came to the junction of the Juniata and Susquehanna Rivers where the boat crosses a dam, the towpath being conveyed across a long bridge of light and delicate construction, on piers of solid masonry."

, Bridge #3 was destroyed on September 10th and 11th of 1850 by fire of uncertain origin., The early 1900's photo above shows the toll gate at Clarks Ferry with a vehicle exiting the bridge onto Duncan's Island., Morrow Photo Archives. , 1886 Rates of Toll, This photograph is most likely the interior of bridge #5, but is also a good representation of what it might have looked like inside of bridges 3 and 4 since those three bridges so closely resembled one another., Bridge #4 was constructed between 1851-52 and quickly became the property of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in 1857., Despite improvements, nature remained defiant., In March of 1859, a violent windstorm destroyed nine of the bridge's ten sections, all of which were replaced later that year. Hence a virtually new bridge, #5, was born., Photo - Historical Society of Perry County. , Bridge #5 as shown in the 1888 photo above was able to endure everything man and nature had to offer from 1859 until 1924-1925 when it was dismantled in favor of a concrete, vehicular bridge - modern for its day., It remained in the memories of an older generation of people who used it. It was well-photographed both before and after it lost its towing path gallery, perhaps before 1915, the year it was sold to an organization known as the Clarks Ferry Bridge Company., There is abundant proof that it was a toll bridge, as its predecessors probably were, and as its successor was., Photo - Perry County History Buffs. , The above photo with a date of July 26, 1925 handwritten on the back features bridge #5 behind the newly completed concrete bridge #6 with a paddlewheeled coal digger in the foreground., The older soon-to-be-demolished wooden covered bridge behind it was constructed in 1859. Drivers who crossed the privately owned bridge were charged a fee., Photo courtesy of Alan Mays. , This photograph shows the toll booth on the western end of Clarks Ferry Bridge #6 where motorists would enter and exit the bridge on the west bank of the Susquehanna River here on Duncan's Island., The toll ended May 15, 1957, when the state abolished the toll on 10 bridges, including the Clarks Ferry., Photo courtesy of Christopher Brandt family archives. , These 1940's license plates served as a way for motorists to cross the bridge without having to stop and pay the toll each time - similar to today's EZ-Pass., Photo - Fred Noye. , This March 18, 1985 photo shows construction of Clarks Ferry ridge #7 from Duncan's Island on the west bank of the Susquehanna River, very close to where you're standing here today., Clarks Ferry Bridge #6 can be seen behind bridge #7., Photo courtesy of Allied Pix for The Patriot News. , On June 5, 1986, the arches of Clarks Ferry Bridge #6 were demolished signaling a final ending and goodbye to the beautiful concrete-arch, two-lane bridge. Bridge #6 ended the era of the wooden covered bridges that had crossed the river here from 1827 - 1925., Photo courtesy of Allied Pix for the Patriot News. , Special thank you to the Duncannon American Legion Post 340, American Legion Post 340 Auxiliary, Duncannon VFW Post 255, local businesses and individuals for helping to fund this project and to Reeser's Gun Shop and Gunsmithing for use of the land.