This site chronicles the cross country adventures of the Woodward family.
The Bridges of Perry County
Oct. 19 – 24, 2023
As we were planning our route from the Finger Lakes area of New York to our next destination, we decided we needed an interim stop somewhere in Pennsylvania. During my research I discovered that Pennsylvania has wine trails and the Susquehanna Wine Trail might be an interesting stop.
Buttonwood Campground
For our stay in this area, we selected Buttonwood Campground in Mifflintown, PA. We based our decision on the reviews and the fact that it is big-rig friendly. This is a large campground with a lower area along the Juniata River and an upper area on the other side of the road. We selected a premium campsite in the upper area with a large grassy area behind us. We hoped this would be a quiet location. Little did we know that the campground would be celebrating their 3rd out of 4 Halloween weekends while we were there – another thing we need to keep in mind for future trips during October.
We arrived mid-afternoon on Thursday. The couple in the campsite next to us were out setting up all kinds of Halloween blow-ups and decorations. After setting up for our stay, we watched as RV after RV pulled in. By Friday evening the place was packed. Activities for the weekend included site decorating contests, costume contests, hay rides, pumpkin carving, and trick-or-treating. Oh my! We debated about leaving Friday but couldn’t come up with a realistic alternative plan. As it turned out, the trick-or-treating started at 2 on Saturday and by dark it was over. On Sunday the majority of RVs packed up and left and by Monday afternoon it was pretty well deserted and quiet – yea.
The next problem though was what to do here. Although our enthusiasm for wine tasting was flagging after the Finger Lakes, Bill suggested that I map out a route to a couple of nearby wineries and find a nice restaurant along the route. That led me to an awesome discovery in Lewiston about 30 minutes away.
Hungry Run Wine Bar & Bistro
Wine-making started as just a hobby for Steve Flood in 2011, As he became more passionate about the craft, his friends and family continued to be impressed with his wine. He thought he might be on to something special. Over a decade later, that something special has turned into an award-winning winery, wine bar, and full-menu restaurant. Steve and Katy Flood have owned and operated Hungry Run Wine Bar & Bistro since 2015 and love sharing their passion with others.
Steve and Katy have been married for 30 years and met at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. They love owning a business together. They feel it brings them closer together as a couple. With an eye for detail, Katy makes sure everything runs smoothly from the moment a customer walks in.
Steve is a jack of all trades, working both in Hungry Run Wine Bar & Bistro and out, marketing our wines throughout the commonwealth and beyond.
Steve and Katy’s oldest son Jake started at the winery working wine festivals. He quickly gained interest in the wine-making craft and began helping his dad make wine in 2019. A recent graduate of Penn State University, Jake is now the only winemaker at Hungry Run Wine Bar & Bistro. He loves creating inventive wines including our strawberry watermelon and mojo. He also enjoys making wine classics such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling. “What started with helping my dad out has turned into a real passion for wine!”
We made dinner reservations at Hungry Run Wine Bar & Bistro for Friday evening at 6:30 but decided to go a bit earlier and do a wine tasting at the bar. Bill and I shared a flight of 6 wines which were very good. The reds were especially good as they use California grapes which they ferment and bottle on-site. They feel that the local climate is not conducive for growing the best grapes for red wine and after tasting their reds we heartily agreed. It was difficult to decide which of their wines we liked best. As we were sitting at the bar, we struck up a conversation with a gentleman seated next to us. He was enjoying a flight of wine that, as a frequent patron, he expertly paired with the courses of his meal. (We asked him for other places we should visit. He recommended Shy Bear Brewing, Wingman Brew N Que, and Seven Mountains Wine Cellars all nearby.)
Our dinner of filet mignon, potato stacks, Caesar salad, and caramel cheesecake was superb. We liked this place so much that we returned on Sunday for brunch! Katy, one of the owners who was enjoying brunch with her family, recognized us immediately and left her table to seat us. She continued to check on us during our meal. Talk about service!!!
Wingman Brew N Que
On Saturday evening we drove back into Lewiston to give Wingman Brew N Que a try. We sat on their enclosed and heated deck so that we could enjoy the view while downing some excellent boneless wings and loaded fries. We would have made a repeat visit here too if we would have had more time.
A Covered Bridge Hunt
So, what else should we do here? Bill discovered that there were several covered bridges in the area. Perry County, Pennsylvania alone has 14 covered bridges. Consequently, we went on a covered bridge hunt.
The 8 that we visited were built between the mid-1800’s and early 1900’s using the king post and Burr Arch system.
One of the simplest truss styles to implement, the king post consists of two angled supports leaning into a common vertical support.
The queen post truss, sometimes queenpost or queenspost, is similar to a king post truss in that the outer supports are angled towards the centre of the structure. The primary difference is the horizontal extension at the centre which relies on beam action to provide mechanical stability. This truss style is only suitable for relatively short spans.
The Burr Arch Truss—or, simply, Burr Truss or Burr Arch—is a combination of an arch and a multiple kingpost truss design. It was invented in 1804 by Theodore Burr, patented on April 3, 1817, and used in bridges, usually covered bridges
One thing we didn’t think about in our hunt was the lack of cell-phone coverage. Sometimes dead-reckoning comes in handy.
Lehman’s Bridge
Lehman’s Bridge near Port Royal is a Double Burr Arch truss bridge that was built in 1888. It measures 107-foot-long (33 m) and has vertical siding, windows under the eaves, and a gabled roof. It was damaged during Hurricane Agnes in 1972, and subsequently rebuilt.
Due to the dense foliage, it was impossible to get a good photo.
Saville Bridge
Built in 1903 by L.M. Wentzel, this Burr Arch Truss single span bridge is 73 feet long by 17 feet wide, with an interior height of 11 feet 5 inches. The bridge, located in Saville Township near Ickesburg, spans Big Buffalo Creek. The bridge was totally refurbished in 2007.
This bridge is located near Ickesburg, PA in Saville Township. It is no longer in use and is located just a short distance on the left of Fritz Rd. Originally built in 1919 by the Adair Brothers at a cost of $2,380, this single span Kingpost and Queenpost Truss bridge is 72 feet long and 18 feet wide and has an interior height of 12 feet 6 inches. Planking is 2-1/2 inches by 14 feet. The bridge is owned by Perry County.
Adair’s Bridge, also known as Cisna Mill Bridge, was built in 1864 (builder unknown) and is the oldest bridge in Perry County. This Burr Arch Truss bridge is 176 feet long by 14 feet 3 inches wide and has an interior height of 11 feet 4 inches. Planking is 3 inch boards laid crosswise. Reinforced with steel I-beams in 1919, the bridge was refurbished in 2007.
The Bistline Bridge, also known as Flickinger Mills Bridge is a single span Burr Arch Truss bridge built in 1871 (builder unknown). The structure has Burr Arches sandwiched between multiple Kingposts and is 106 feet long by 17 feet 3 inches wide and has an interior height of 11 feet 7 inches. Planking is 2 inches by 16 feet with the top planking laid diagonally. Reinforced in 1919 with steel I-beams, the bridge was refurbished in 2007.
The bridge is now closed due to an accident that removed a section of the bridge.
Enslow’s Bridge
Enslow’s Bridge, a Burr Arch Truss bridge, was built in 1904. The bridge was repaired in 1997 after Hurricane Fran damaged it in 1996. It is 110 feet long by 16 feet 11 inches wide with an interior height of 11 feet 10 inches. It has stone and mortar wingwalls. The bridge spans Sherman’s Creek in Jackson Township southeast of Blain and is owned by Perry County.
The original Burr Arch Truss bridge, constructed in 1883 (builder unknown) had Burr Arches sandwiched between multiple Kingposts. The bridge is 88 feet long by 18 feet 10 inches wide and also had an interior height of 11 feet 5 inches. The planking size was cut to 2 inches by 14 feet. Demolished in 2003, the Book’s Bridge was replaced with a replica in the summer of 2004. Although the steel I-beam reinforced replica is wider than the original, it still maintains the appearance of the original bridge, complete with a shingled roof. The bridge spans Sherman’s Creek in Jackson Township near Blain. The Commonwealth of PA now owns the bridge.
The Mt. Pleasant Bridge built in 19?? initially as a standard bridge but was reconstructed as a covered bridge in 1918 by I.M. Wentzel. It is a single span Kingpost/Queenpost Truss bridge. It has 3 inch by 15 feet planking and 60 inches between abutments and stone as well as mortar wingwalls. It is 73 feet long by 17 feet 9 inches wide with an interior height of 12 feet 2 inches. The bridge spans Sherman’s Creek in Jackson Township near Blain and is owned by Perry County.
The New Germantown Bridge was built in 1891 by John W. Fry. This single span multiple Kingpost with Queenpost Truss bridge is 74 feet long by 12 feet wide with an interior height of 13 feet 9 inches. Planking is 2 inch by 16 feet with the top layer of 16 feet laid lengthwise. It has stone and mortar wingwalls. The bridge is located in Toboyne Township near New Germantown and is owned by Perry County.
As we traveled from bridge to bridge on back-country roads with spotty (at best) cell phone coverage, imagine our surprise to discover a really nice family campground just half a mile down the road from Adair’s Bridge. We had to stop and investigate Paradise Stream Family Campground. Although we wondered if we could get our rig down that lane, we discovered there were many big rigs there. The campground covers 156 acres with a pool, lake, 18 hole mini-golf, playground, trails, and much more. We were really impressed.
So long Pennsylvania
We never truly made it to the wine trail here but we certainly found plenty of other interesting places. I have a feeling we’ll be back sometime. For now we’re off to West Virginia.
