Springfield Township Moves to Protect Knecht's Bridge

 

Bucks County, Pa., June 26, 2007 - The Springfield Township Board of Supervisors passed a resolution that Knecht's Covered Bridge is recognized as "...a high value asset and symbolic of Springfield's rural character..." calling for Bucks County to take steps to protect the bridge.

The board's resolution asks the county for assistance with the installation of fire detection and surveillance equipment at the bridge, in acquiring grants, and inclusion in the 2008 National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation Program. The board also asked elected officials to elevate Knecht's Bridge as an "extraordinarily high risk historic property."

The resolution acknowledged the elected officials who introduced House Bill 1607, calling for stiff penalties for those who commit arson on historic structures in Pennsylvania. The bill states that any person who intentionally starts a fire or explosion to destroy or damage a historic resource, or aids another party to do so, will be committing a second degree felony.

Bucks County has been the home of twelve covered bridges and a unique boxed pony wooden bridge. Arsonists have attempted to burn Knecht's Bridge twice in the past 26 months. Bucks County has lost three covered bridges to intentionally set fires:

• Haupt's Mill Bridge, WGN 38-09-01, a 107-foot town truss span built in 1872 to cross Durham Creek near Springfield, destroyed 1985 and not rebuilt.
• Mood's Bridge, WGN 38-09-07, was burned in 2004 and now being rebuilt, a 126-foot Town truss span built in 1873 to cross Mood Creek in East Rockhill
• The Schofield Ford or Twining Ford Covered Bridge, now located in Tyler State Park, WGN 38-09-13, 166 feet long in two spans, one queen post truss, one Town truss, to cross Neshaminy Creek was arsoned in 1991 and rebuilt in 1997.