The Wyit Sprowls Bridge

Our public relations intern, Kelsey Bradley wrote this piece for the upcoming Focus. From East Finley Pennsylvania, she is very familiar with the covered bridges in the area.

The Wyit Sprowls Bridge is one the of the better-known covered bridges in Washington County. In fact, it is one of Claysville, Pennslvania's crown jewels, making the list of the few attractions to visit while in Claysville. The bridge is 43 feet long and 11.6 feet wide, a little larger than most covered bridges built during that time. This particular bridge was built with a "Queen Truss," to accommodate the larger length. While it is unknown who built the bridge, the bridge was named after Wyit Sprowls, the man who owned the surronding property.

The Wyit Sprowls was originally built in 1886, but was torn down and reconstructed in East Finley park in 1998, over 200 years later! Construction ended in 1999 and was completely renovated which ensured the construction of the bridge was safe enough for cars to pass over. When it was rebuilt, the bridge was constructed with two windows on each side, rather than the original three. The bridge was built with the same truss style and as a result of keeping the design the same, it is one of the only covered bridges left in Washington County that can still be driven over.

Covered bridges were built with the similiar design and color scheme because most towns did not have experienced builders, and this design was simple enough for almost anyone to complete. Another reason the design stayed the same is because the bridges resembled a barn, making it easier for animals to want to cross it. A roof was placed over the bridge because it kept it from caving under the rain, snow and ice, which made them last much longer than regular bridges.

The Wyit Sprowls Bridge is one of twenty-three covered bridges still standing in Washington County today. Pennsylvania as a whole is home to 227 covered bridges, which is the most covered bridges in the United States!! As a result of having so many bridges, we celebrate the Covered Bridge festival, taking place September 15-16, the Wyit Sprowls being one of the locations it will be held!