Knox Covered Bridge: 160-year-old Chester County bridge heavily damaged by fallen tree
MALVERN, Pa. - A 160-year-old piece of local history was severely damaged when a fallen tree crushed the middle of Knox Covered Bridge in Valley Forge National Historical Park.
Officials say no one was injured when the bridge was hit, but local hiker Chris Prendergast might have been one of the last ones to safely cross.
Prendergast, a Malvern resident, told FOX 29 he crossed the bridge about an hour before it collapsed, and returned to find it not passable.
"I thought it absolutely could have crushed somebody, totally bizarre, I never think twice about using [Knox Covered Bridge]," Prendergast said.
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Park Ranger Adam Gresek said the bridge, built in 1865, has withstood fires, car accidents, and floods over the years.
"A lot of our visitors come to see it because they love covered bridges," Gresek said. "It is very quaint, it’s very picturesque."
Drivers looking to cross between Yellow Springs Road and Route 252 now need to detour around the closure.
A PennDOT spokesperson said prep work to repair the historic bridge will begin next week, and construction will start the Tuesday after Labor Day.
There is currently no timetable for completion.