Bogert Covered Bridge
About this property
Bogert Covered Bridge is a historic wooden covered bridge located at Allentown, Pennsylvania. It is a 145-foot-long (44 m), Burr Truss bridge, constructed in 1841. It has vertical plank siding and a gable roof. It was restored by the Allentown Parks Department. Bogert's Bridge was built between 1841 and 1842. It takes its name from the Bogert family. Peter Bogert purchased the land on which the bridge is located in 1744 as part of his farm. Settlers are said to have put stones in the Little Lehigh River at the location of the bridge, which were used as a crossing prior to its construction. In the 1760s, a crude log bridge, later replaced by a wooden plank bridge, was built on the site. When Indian tribes complained that the bridge blocked their canoes, Bogert was called on to settle the dispute. The Indians believed he treated them fairly, and called Bogert "the Peacemaker." Bogert's Bridge is a Burr Truss, named after a design created by Theodore Burr of Connecticut in the early 19th century. Its most distinctive feature is two long arch trusses resting on abutments at either end. It was built by local men. John Waltman of Allentown worked on the bridge as a carpenter's apprentice at the age of 16. In 1945, management of the bridge was transferred from Lehigh County to the Pennsylvania Department of Highways since it carried South 24th Street, which linked state routes Hamilton Street and Lehigh Street. On February 19, 1956 at 3:15 a.m., a speeding truck pulling a trailer smashed into the bridge, splintering seven of the bridge's twelve-by-twelve-inch crossbeams. Its roof sagged in the middle. Lehigh County officials initially wanted to tear down the bridge, believing it had become a traffic hazard. The following year, on May 30, 1957, a second accident involving a truck carrying an earthmover crashed into the bridge, smashing the roof and causing extensive damage. In 1957, a letter writing campaign by the Save the Bogert's Bridge Committee obtained state approval to redirect South 24th Street to a new bridge located a few hundred feet away from the structure. In 1964, the covered bridge was reconstructed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and its management was then transferred to Allentown. Bogert's is the oldest covered bridge in Lehigh County, and among the oldest in the country. It is open to pedestrian and bicycle traffic only. In 1980, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. September 4, 2025, the City of Allentown announced the start of major rehabilitation work on the Historic Bogert’s Covered Bridge beginning September 15.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Bogert Covered Bridge
This page lists Bogert Covered Bridge. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Bogert Covered Bridge listed on the National Register?
Bogert Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 1, 1980.
What type of historic resource is Bogert Covered Bridge?
Bogert Covered Bridge is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Bogert Covered Bridge?
The period of significance for Bogert Covered Bridge is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Bogert Covered Bridge?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Bogert Covered Bridge will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Lehigh County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Lehigh County.
Explore LehighCounty ›More historic places in Pennsylvania
Browse all historic places in Pennsylvania.
View Pennsylvaniahistoric sites ›Pennsylvania history
Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.
Pennsylvaniahistory ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Bogert Covered Bridge will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.