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New or Octoraro Forge or Moore's Mill Covered Bridge

COUNTY WORLD GUIDE # CROSSES TRUSS SPANS LENGTH BUILT GONE
Cecil MD-07-27x Octoraro Creek Burr 1 100' 1859 1884
On June 11, 1859 the Cecil Whig advertised a notice to Bridge Builders & Contractors for a bridge "over Octoraro Creek, near Moore's Mills and the Octoraro Forge, a short distance below the present fording of said creek."  The plan called for 19-feet long abutments 13 feet above the ordinary water level, with 30 feet long wingwalls.  The plan called for "The wood work to be the 'Burr' patent, span 100 feet, width from out to out 16 feet, 11 feet from string pieces to square; to have double ribbed segments, double arch, and double string pieces."
The devastating flood on June 26, 1884 destroyed all of the bridges over the Octoraro Creek or damaged them enough that they needed to be replaced.  Bids were advertised on July 24, 1884 to replace Gilpins, Baldwins, Marley, Haines, Porters, Basin Run, Rowlandville, and the New Bridge which this bridge was referred to at the time.  On August 6, 1884 the contract to replace the New Covered Bridge with a Pratt truss steel bridge was awarded to Patterson and Brown of Baltimore at a cost of $7.75 per yard.  
 
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