The 1867 Bowmansdale Covered Bridge originally crossed the Yellow Breeches in Bowmansdale in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. After being bypassed by another bridge and damaged in an arson fire, the bridge was purchased by the Stoners for Messiah College in Grantham in 1970. At one time, there may have been as many as fifty covered bridges in Cumberland County. However, today, there are only two remaining, both of which are well-maintained. It’s worth noting that these two bridges sit on opposite ends of the county, roughly 45 minutes apart.

In some campus publications, the bridge is referred to as Stoner Covered Bridge or Bowmansdale Stoner Covered Bridge.

When the bridge was moved to its current location, several miles downstream from its original location, it was rebuilt using roughly 50% of the original materials and completed in 1972. Unlike many covered bridges, the base of the bridge is not wood, but rather concrete. It leads to campus athletic fields and is large enough for a full-size bus to just barely drive through.

Today, the bridge still crosses the Yellow Breeches. It is 106 feet long and actually spans Cumberland County and into York County, making this the only covered bridge that is at least partially located in York County. The well-maintained area around the bridge is owned by the college.

By the spring of 2011, the bridge's siding and shingle roof had exceeded their service life. FHTC was contracted to provide and install new poplar board-and-batten siding and a new roof of Western Red Cedar shingles, as well as numerous minor timber repairs, installing a new lightning suppression system, and upgrading interior lighting and applying a fire-retardant to the timbers, siding, and roof materials.

To reduce maintenance and improve the lifespan of our repairs, they used a natural linseed-oil-based paint for the siding instead of modern synthetic latex paint. This paint is a combination of naturally purified and aged linseed oil carrying natural color pigments. The oil soaks into and preserves the wood and binds the pigments so that the paint cannot peel. With minor service, this paint should last many decades.

Located at:  N40 09.316   W76 59.479       -       WGCB #38-21-I  &  #38-67-J

Photographed in June of 2025

Photos by Millard Farmer