A replica of the Guernsey Bridge has found a new home near the Butler Township site where the original stood for more than a century.
Known as the “Humpback Bridge,” the wooden span crossed the Gettysburg and Harrisburg Railroad near the intersection of West Guernsey and Guernsey roads, about two miles northeast of Biglerville. Its history is closely tied to farmer Cyrus S. Griest and the growth of the nearby hamlet of Sunny Side.
In a 2001 history of the hamlet of Guernsey and the bridge, former historical researcher and Gettysburg Battlefield Guide Elwood W. Christ traced the bridge’s origins to the railroad’s construction through Griest’s farm. A 1883 agreement called for the railroad to provide Griest with a wagon passage over or under the tracks and to establish a station at Sunny Side. Christ believed the bridge was probably the “trestle at Sunny Side” reported under construction in December 1883, although no plans or photographs of the original bridge have been found.
The crossing also served nearby farmers. The railroad cut through a public road laid out in 1855, disrupting access to the gristmill at Center Mills. The bridge restored a route over the tracks and gave Griest access to farmland south of the railroad. A deed from March 1884 refers to a “plank” bridge across the railroad, evidence that the span was completed by then. Christ wrote that the original may have resembled the later structure, but likely had stone abutments and trestle footers.
Over time, the bridge deteriorated. Saplings and briars grew around its abutments, some timbers rotted, and others were scarred by embers from locomotives passing beneath it. In 1999, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission deemed it a safety hazard and closed it to the public.
The bridge’s ownership was unclear. Neither Adams County nor Butler Township maintained it, and the railroad had no record of owning it. The Friends of the Guernsey Bridge formed to save the landmark, but the group struggled to determine who could claim it.
In the late 1990s, the original bridge was dismantled to allow a large generator to be transported by rail to the Reliant Energy plant in Hunterstown. Its pieces were moved to Oakside Park, where residents hoped a replica could eventually be built.
Biglerville-area businessman Jim Shetter recently built a small replica of the bridge and gave it to local historian Deb McCauslin, who believed it should be placed near the original bridge site. The Johnson family welcomed it to the former Loma Vista property, where Wesley, Chris and Natalie Johnson restored a historic barn. The family now calls the property Guernsey Manor Barn and operates it as a wedding venue.
McCauslin describes the replica as a community effort to preserve the memory of the landmark.
“The placement of the replica near its original location brings together local history, preservation, and community generosity. It is a fitting tribute to the people who worked to save the memory of the Guernsey Bridge and to the families who continue to value the history of Butler Township,” said McCauslin. “Sometimes preserving history means saving the original structure. Other times, it means finding a way to bring a beloved landmark back to life.”
Featured image caption: Natalie Johnson is on the left and Debra McCauslin on the right.
