Gibson's Covered Bridge/Harmony Hill Covered Bridge, located southeast of Downingtown in Chester County, is beautiful. It is located in a beautiful rural area and it crosses the scenic East Branch Bradywine Creek, just off of US 322. Its portals are absolutely beautiful and it dates back to 1872. It utilizes Burr Truss construction and is the last remaining covered bridge across any branch of the Brandywine Creek.
It is 78 feet long and 14 feet wide. The construction of the covered bridges of Chester County was handled by the county itself. It built 85 different covered bridges, with 15 of these still remaining. Because the construction was handled by the county, many public records are extant, including competitive bidding by potential bridge builders, and more. We know that this bridge cost 2600 dollars to build in 1872. It was built by Edward Hall and Thomas Schull.
The bridge is located in the middle of a beautiful park area that surrounds this section of the creek. A complex of beautifully preserved natural areas fill this section of the Brandywine Valley. This complex includes the M. John Johnson Nature Center, Harmony Hill Nature Area, the Brandywine Meadows Preserve, and the East Branch Brandywine Trail. Other park areas go up and down the creek. The community has taken great care to preserve this area of the creek. It is an excellent place to sit and relax, do a little hiking, fish, and just take in nature. Other communities should take note of the natural and historical resources that they have and preserve them as places of renewal, like Chester County has done with this area. If you are in the area, you should definitely check this out.
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