Skip to main content

Loys Station Covered Bridge - Maryland

Image
By

 


The Loys Station Covered Bridge is on Old Frederick Road, just south of MD 77, east of Thurmont in Frederick County, Maryland. While the bridge has been structurally modified and rebuilt, the bridge's original timbers remain throughout the 90 foot long structure crossing Owens Creek. It features a multiple Kingpost through truss design. Some accounts indicate that the covered bridge was built around 1885, other accounts pin the bridge as having been constructed in 1848.

The Loys Station Covered Bridge is the second covered bridge at this location. It is believed that the bridge played a small role in the events of the Civil War, as on July 7, 1863, after the Battle at Gettysburg, General George Meade crossed Loys Station Covered Bridge while pursuing the retreating Confederate Army. The first covered bridge was ruined by an act of arson in 1991. The original Loys Covered Bridge, built in 1848 by an unknown builder, crossed Owens Creek at a length of ninety feet. Around 1929 or 1930, the bridge was modified by adding a concrete pier and steel beams under the flooring to provide more support creating two 45 foot spans, although some consider this as just one span with a center support. At one time, the Western Maryland Railroad had a station at Loys, so the covered bridge became known as Loys Station Covered Bridge. The railroad tracks still exist today. Due to the historic significance of the bridge, the Loys Station Covered Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 23, 1978.

On June 27, 1991, a pickup truck was set on fire while inside the covered bridge as part of an insurance fraud scheme. The Frederick County Covered Bridge Preservation Society fought to have the bridge built to its original all wood structure. However, the Maryland Historical Trust and Frederick County officials argued the bridge should be built to its 1930s specifications when the steel beams and center pier were added for reinforcement. It took three years before the rebuilding effort was completed, along with local fundraising that helped support the reconstruction of the beloved bridge. While the bridge could not be rebuilt to historic authentication, the reconstructed covered bridge included the use of original hardware, rafters and braces from the burnt bridge. Reconstruction included interior lighting and fire-retardant materials with the total reconstruction cost totaling nearly $300,000. Much of the cost was paid for by Frederick County's insurance company, who sought restitution from the two men eventually convicted of the arson and fraud crime. On June 7, 1994 a crane hoisted the trusses into place. On June 25, 1994, a celebration of the bridge rebuilding was held and on July 4, 1994 the bridge was officially opened to vehicular traffic.

In 2011, The National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation Program awarded a $176,400 grant to Frederick County for repairs to the Utica Mills, Roddy Road and Loys Station Covered Bridges. Frederick County kicked in another $44,100 to bring the total funding amount to $220,500. In the spring of 2015, the Loys Station Covered Bridge received an application of interior fire retardant and a fresh coat of much needed exterior paint, which will hopefully make the covered bridge last for years to come.

There is a small park by the name of Loy's Station Park adjacent to the covered bridge. Park amenities include fishing, grills, picnic tables, picnic shelter, horseshoe pits and play equipment, along with the passive recreation afforded by being next to a splendid covered bridge. I visited the covered bridge during a trip to Maryland and thoroughly enjoyed my visit.




How to Get There:



Sources and Links:
Maryland Covered Bridges - Loys Station Covered Bridge
Labels:
Location: Loys Station Covered Bridge, 13506 Old Frederick Rd, Rocky Ridge, MD 21778, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2018 Mojave Road Trip Part 2; The deadly desert highway (California State Route 127 and Nevada State Route 373)

By
After leaving Barstow via Old Highway 58 my next destination was in Death Valley.  To access Death Valley from rural San Bernardino County required a trek on north on Interstate 15 to California State Route 127 which becomes Nevada State Route 373 at the state line. Along I-15 I encountered the road sign oddity that is Zzyzx Road about eight miles south of Baker.   Zzyzx Road is a four mile road that used to go to the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa.   The spa was founded in the 1940s and the owner made up the name "Zzyzx" to claim it was the last word in the English Language.  The spa has been shut down since the 1970s and is now part of a Desert Studies Center for California State University. The southern terminus of CA 127 in Baker is located at I-15 exit 246.  CA 127 is a 91 mile north/south highway which runs to the Nevada State Line in Inyo County.  CA 127 is called Death Valley Road from I-15 northward.  South of CA 127 ...
4 comments
Read more

Finding the Pre-Emption Road of New York State

By
  The Pre-Emption Road (or rather a series of roads named Pre-Emption Road) follows a survey line called the Pre-Emption Line, drawn in the early days of the United States. The story begins with Massachusetts and New York having competing land claims to modern day Western New York State that have their roots in colonial charters granted by the British. After the Revolutionary War ended, this land became the frontier of the nation and its settlement became a priority for the new American government. During this era, there were a lot of competing land claims that needed to be settled. It was no different with the land claims between New York State and Massachusetts. On November 30, 1786, Massachusetts and New York sent representatives to Hartford, Connecticut to resolve their competing land claims. In less than three weeks, the representatives had reached a compromise. Massachusetts would receive pre-emption rights, meaning the right to sell the land after the Indian title ...
Post a Comment
Read more

What's In a Name?: When the Roads Really Do Tell a Story

By
  Our tagline on the Gribblenation blog is "because every road tells a story". Some roads tell different stories than others. Along our travels, we may see historic markers that tell us a little story about the roads we travel or the places we pass by. Some historic markers are more general, as to telling us who lived where or what old trail traversed between two towns. During my travels across New York State and other states or provinces, I pass by many historic markers, some with interesting or amusing references to roads. I wanted to highlight a few of the markers I've seen along my travels around the Empire State and help tell their stories. Those stories may be as specific as explaining the tales of a tree that was used to help measure a distance of eight miles from Bath to Avoca in Steuben County, as referenced on the Eight Mile Tree historical marker above. They may also help point the way along historical roads first used centuries ago, or may help tell a local l...
Post a Comment
Read more