The Sachs Covered Bridge was built around 1854 at a cost of $1,544. On July 1, 1863, the bridge was crossed by the two brigades of the I Corps of the Union Army heading towards Gettysburg. The III Corps also crossed the bridge heading to the Black Horse Tavern. Four days later, the majority of General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia retreated over the bridge after the Union victory in the Battle of Gettysburg.

The bridge was designated Pennsylvania's "most historic bridge" in 1938 by the predecessor of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the Department of Highways. After a plan in 1960 to replace the bridge, the Cumberland Township officials voted to close the bridge to vehicular traffic, while leaving it open to pedestrians, on May 9, 1968. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 25, 1980.

On June 19, 1996, a flash flood knocked the bridge from one of its abutments and it incurred substantial damage; an iron bridge on the Marsh Creek was also heavily damaged and another destroyed.  A $500,000 restoration on the bridge was already in progress before the flood; an additional $100,000 was raised to repair the damage incurred.  The bridge was rededicated on July 21, 1997.  

Ghost at Sachs Bridge
by Laurelai

I was at Sachs Bridge in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in the summer of 2003. This is a covered bridge that apparently was famous for the hanging of three soldiers for treason during the Battle of Gettysburg. The field to the right of the bridge was formerly used as a Civil War hospital. I was here with a bunch of my friends who liked to go "ghost hunting" with their digital cameras and take pictures of the usual orb sightings.

I was very new to the idea, but definitely not a nonbeliever due to my strong religious beliefs. Moving on, the night was mild, no wind and not too hot or cold outside. Everyone was just socializing, taking pictures and not really paying much attention to our ghostly environment. I needed a cigarette! I went and sat on a stone ledge that leads up and connects with the bridge. I began to feel a chill - although still no wind. My friend Chyna told me to "smile" and snapped a picture of me. She walked over and showed me the picture that had just been taken just seconds beforehand. Omigod! Was my response to the odd picture. There were two white orbs, one perched upon each of my shoulders! So, THAT'S what the cold chill was, just before getting my nightly dose of nicotine! I thought this was the coolest thing in the world!

Anyway, I went back to socializing with my friends. Again, we were distracted for a while. Everyone suddenly got quiet. We heard a loud BOOM! It had come from the inside of the bridge! NOBODY was on the bridge or around it, nor was anyone missing from our group. They say it's not the safest thing to go across the bridge alone at night. Continuing, we were a little freaked, but decided to stay and cautiously continued to socialize about what that noise was. About five minutes later, we heard it again. This time there was a soldier hanging in the corner of the bridge! All busted up and hanging by a thick rope! Still, we stayed and continued to watch (even though we all wanted to run!) We knew if we didn't stay, we would miss out on what we came to see -- GHOSTS!

Well, we had turned off our flashlights for a second and turned it back on -- the ghost was gone! Again, we turned off the flashlight. Everyone was seriously freaking out! We asked each other what we should do. We decided to stay... again. Then we hear another boom! We looked at each other scared to death, but turned on our flashlights one last time. There was a second ghost hanging directly in front of the second, spaced a few feet apart from one another!

Ok, this time we ran for the three cars that provided us transportation to the bridge that night, only to find that nobody's vehicle would start. Luckily, they finally did after about three minutes of trying. Then nobody's cell phones would work! The ghosts had probably drained a lot of the power from our cars and phones to be able to appear to us. In the end, we all raced home only to think about what would've happened if we would have stayed even longer. The third ghost probably would have appeared to us, but I'm glad we left when we did, someone could have seriously gotten hurt!

Sachs Bridge

This is the bridge that part of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia used to begin their retreat to Virginia after the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863.
In 1938, the Pennsylvania Highway Department determined the Sachs bridge to be the most historic covered bridge in the state. It was closed to traffic
in 1968 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. On June 19, 1996, floodwaters swept the bridge from its abutments and carried it
approximatey 100 yards downstream. Adams County rehabilitated the bridge, supported its trusses with steel beams, and raised the elevation 3 feet.
The bridge is a favorite spot of photographers and ghost hunters.

Directions: Heading south out of town through the Gettysburg National Military Park on the Emmitsburg Road, take a Right onto Millerstown Road
which becomes Pumping Station Road. Go a short distance and turn Left onto Roberta Way, then turn Right onto Waterworks Road.