| Key Facts |
| Bridge Name | Facility Carried / Feature Intersected | Location | Structure Type | Construction Date / Builder or Contractor |
| Young's Bridge | Sylvania Drive Over North Fork Little Beaver Creek | Rural: Beaver County, Pennsylvania | Metal Pinned Pratt Through Truss, Stationary | c. 1885 By: Penn Bridge Company of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania |
| Technical Facts |
| Rehabilitation Date | Structure Length | Main Span Length | Bridge Width | Roadway Width | Main Spans | Approach Spans |
| 2003 | 98.1 Feet (29.9 Meters) | 91.9 Feet (28 Meters) | 14 Feet (4.26 Meters) | 13.1 Feet (4 Meters) | 1 | None |
This bridge appears to have been built by the locally prolific Penn Bridge Company based on the unusual detail that company often used, which was two pins at the top chord / end post connection, with one pin for the diagonal members, and one for the hip vertical. It is unclear what advantage the company thought using two pins provided.
This bridge is an attractive example of its type. It remains with decent integrity, although some alteration was observed, most notablly the loss of some of the original built-up floor beams. A few of the original floorbeams do remain however, and they are impressive shaped beams that should be preserved and not removed as part of any future repair or restoration. This is one of the few historic truss bridges in Pennsylvania that was at least minimally repaired recently, with a 2003 rehabilitation date that apparently included replacement of the deck and railings.
Information and Findings From Pennsylvania's Historic Bridge InventoryDiscussion of Bridge The one-span, 98'-long, pin-connected Pratt thru truss bridge is supported on ashlar abutments with wingwalls. The trusses are traditionally composed, but the upper hip panel point has two pins (one of the floor beam hanger and one for the diagonal) instead of the more common single pin. The designer/fabricator of the bridge is not known, but the bridge dates stylistically to ca. 1885. It may be the work of the Penn Bridge Co. that was located in Beaver Falls and was building bridges in the county by 1878. The bridge is historically and technologically significant based on its date, completeness, and uncommon connection detail. It also has some original built up floorbeams. Discussion of Surrounding Area The bridge carries a single-lane road over Little Beaver Creek in a sparsely developed, rural setting with scattered modern houses. Bridge Considered Historic By Survey: Yes |
