Rush's Mill Bridge
NBI Information
Location
State: Pennsylvania
County: Berks County
Feature Carried: Union Canal Nonmotorized Trail
Feature Crossed: Plum Creek
Latitude, Longitude: 40.3732,-76.0075
Structure Open, Posted, or Closed to Traffic: Open to Pedestrians
History
Year Built: 1869
Picture Date: September 12, 2026
Geometry
Lanes on Structure: 1
Lanes under Structure: 0
Number of Main Spans: 1
Main Structure Type: Thru Truss
Main Structure Material: Iron
Condition
Bridge is not on the National Bridge Inventory
Bridge Information
Rush’s Mill Bridge was originally constructed across the West Brans of Perkiomen Creek in 1869. It was dismantled in the late 1970’s and was reassembled in its current location in 1980. The bridge deck was narrowed significantly when it was relocated, and knee braces were added to each truss.
This bridge is a rare example of a bridge utilizing both cast iron and wrought iron members. The bridge uses cast-iron for all members in compression and wrought iron for all members in tension. This was done because cast iron was known to be brittle and was unsuitable for members in tension or bending. However, it could withstand compressive loads. Wrought iron could be used in tension or compression, but was significantly more expensive, and it was prohibitively expensive to build the entire bridge from wrought iron. By the late 1890s, steel had replaced iron as the building material of choice.
This bridge is also a rare example of a metal Howe Truss. Howe trusses were typically used in wooden bridges.
References
Hadlow, Robert. “Rush’s Mill Bridge.” Historic American Engineering Record , Aug. 1991, https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/master/pnp/habshaer/pa/pa2200/pa2264/data/pa2264data.pdf. Accessed 24 Sept. 2026.
Holth, Nathan. “Rush’s Mill Bridge.” Historic Bridges, 30 May 2010, https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=pennsylvania/rushsmill/. Accessed 24 Sept. 2026.
