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| This 1859 map of the Hancock area shows Little Tonoloway Creek west of Hancock. This is the likely location of where the covered bridge once stood. |
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| COUNTY | WORLD GUIDE # | CROSSES | TRUSS | SPANS | LENGTH | BUILT | GONE |
| Washington | MD-21-05x | Little Tonoloway Creek | Unk | 1 | Unk | Unk | Unk |
Little Tonoloway Creek Covered Bridge was located just west of Hancock close to the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal and Potomac River. Very little information can be found about the bridge. Emily Leatherman writes in her book Hancock, 1776-1976 that a covered bridge once existed on the west side of Hancock.
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| This 1859 map of the Hancock area shows Little Tonoloway Creek west of Hancock. This is the likely location of where the covered bridge once stood. |
A series of newspaper articles appeared in the Baltimore Sun about an accident at a wooden bridge. The article does not specifically state it was a "covered" wooden bridge, but nontheless they are interesting articles. The first article appeared on August 3, 1896:
Col. Buchanan Schley, attorney, filed for Mr. Charles D. Grove yesterday against the Washington County commissioners. Several weeks ago Mr. Grove was seriously injured while crossing a dilapidated wooden bridge over the Little Tonoloway Creek at Hancock. The bridge collapsed and a bark-wagon, horses, Mr. Grove and William Beard Jr., were precipitated to the bottom. Beard was killed. Mr. Grove is able to be about, but he says he will be crippled for life. Col. Schley says damages for a large sum will be claimed.
The second article appeared on December 14, 1897:
The case of Charles D. Grove, who sued the Washington County commissioners for $10,000 damages, came up into the Circuit Court today. On June 29, 1896 Grove was seriously injured by the collapse of a wooden bridge over the Little Tonoloway Creek, west of Hancock. The bridge was built by the Western Turnpike Company, which later deeded the road to Washington County.
A final article appeared on December 15, 1897:
The jury this evening gave a verdict in favor of Charles D. Grove for $3,000 for injuries sustained in the Hancock Bridge collapse. Gen. H. Kyd Douglas, attorney for the county, moved for a new trial.
It is possible that a covered bridge was built to replace the collapsed bridge. The photo below appears to be one taken from the period 1920-1940.
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| Little Tonoloway Creek Covered Bridge as shown in a photo circa 1920-1940.. |