Cromwell Road Covered Bridge

Cromwell Road or Old Cromwell and sometimes referred to as Gunpowder Falls Covered Bridge dates to December, 1877. It lasted until 1924 when a modern concrete span was erected.¹ The old bridge crossed the Gunpowder Falls near the intersection of Cromwell Bridge Road, Cub Hill Road and Glen Arm Road in Loch Raven. It was not far from the tracks of the old MA and PA Railroad.

Confirmation of the date the bridge was built comes from a news article in the Baltimore County Union on December 8, 1877: "Cromwell's bridge over the Gunpowder on the old manor road is now open to travel. The bridge is to be weather-boarded and covered, that work being now in progress." Most likely the bridge was finished in late December 1877 or early 1878.

A reader from the Connecticut River Valley Covered Bridge Society wrote, "It is my recollection that the abutments and pier were molded out of concrete around the old structure of a bridge previously washed out and that they follow the old contours, sweep and gradient, except that the steep approach has been lenghtened and hence is more gradual."²

Cromwell Road Bridge in better times. From Connecticut River Valley Covered Bridge Society. Date unknown.	"Rickety, wooden Cromwell Bridge, at Cromwell Bridge and Glen Arm Roads. This photo was taken before 1924 when the hazardous bridge was replaced by a concrete span." Source: Baltimore County Historical Society. Permission granted by Baltimore County Public Library.

Photo taken before 1924. Source: Baltimore Sun. Permission granted by Baltimore County Public Library.

UPDATED 04/21/2011: For confirmation about build date from newspaper article.

¹ Neal Brooks and Richard Parsons, Baltimore County Panorama, (Towson, MD: Baltimore County Library: 1988), p 106.

² Connecticut River Valley Covered Bridge Society, newsletter, date unknown.