A-2 • Old Forge Bridge | 1863
On Old Forge Road, just West of Route 62, Little Antietam Road
A masterpiece of unique design by W.H. Eierely, the impressive three-arch bridge originally had one arch spanning dry land so cattle could pass from one field to another. Today a sleepy rural area, this site once teemed with industrial activity, with a massive 3-story mill, an iron foundry, and a forge. After crossing it on his retreat from Gettysburg, General Robert E. Lee ordered the then brand-new bridge demolished to slow pursuing Union cavalry. Fortunately for us, his engineers pointed out that with easy fords nearby, the hard-pressed army couldn’t afford the time or the gunpowder to make it worthwhile.
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