Bogert Covered Bridge

The oldest bridge in Lehigh County, it dates back to 1841 and spans 145 feet over Little Lehigh River.  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 at that place and used it as a crossing. In the 1760s, a crude log bridge, later replaced by a wooden plank bridge, was built on the site.When American Indians complained that this bridge blocked their canoes, Bogert was called on to settle the dispute. The American Indians believed he treated them fairly, afterward calling 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 16.The Pennsylvania Department of Highways took responsibility for the bridge from Lehigh County in 1945 because it carried S. 24th Street, which linked state routes Hamilton Street (Route 222) and Lehigh Street (Pennsylvania Route 29).