Bucks County CB Society Founded

 

Bucks County, PA, October 11, 2007 - The burning and rebuilding of Mood's Bridge in East Rockhill, and the vulnerability of the other covered bridges in the county inspired the founding of a new covered bridge society.

The new society is chaired by William Wilson, a member of East Rockhill's park and recreation board.

"Our mission . . . is to preserve the history, character and structure of the bridges," said Wilson, "We want to work to protect them and create public interest in them. They're part of our heritage and we're lucky in Bucks County to have a number of them."

The Bucks County Covered Bridge Society plans to host a festival in the spring to mark the reopening of the Mood's bridge, and to raise money to fireproof other covered bridges in the county.

From a total of 36, there are 11 covered bridges dating from the 1800's surviving in Bucks County. The old bridges were lost to the elements, traffic, and modernization, and lately, as with Mood's, to arson.

The Mood's bridge dedication, tentatively scheduled for April 14, will include a fund-raising festival featuring vendors, chances, prizes and craftspeople demonstrating crafts from yesteryear. It also may include a fund-raising breakfast on the rebuilt bridge.

The Bucks County Society meets 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month at the East Rockhill Township building, 1622 Ridge Road, Perkasie.