The Allerton Road Bridge carries Pennsylvania Route 842 (Allerton Road) over the East Branch of Brandywine Creek in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
The Allerton Road Bridge carries Pennsylvania Route 842 (Allerton Road) over the East Branch of Brandywine Creek at Jefferis Ford in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Jefferis Ford played a notable role in the American Revolutionary War. During the British advance leading to the Battle of Brandywine, General William Howe crossed the ford, as well as Trimble’s Ford, to launch a surprise attack on George Washington’s forces to the south. 1 The ford was named after Robert Jefferis (1668–1739), who settled in the area in 1701 after emigrating from England to Chester County in 1681. 2
In 1862, a covered bridge was constructed at Jefferis Ford to replace the crossing. 3 Built by Joseph Elliot of Unionville, the bridge featured a 104-foot span and a 16-foot-wide roadway. It was destroyed by arson in 1953 and later replaced by a riveted Pratt through truss bridge. Originally built around 1905, the replacement bridge had been located on an abandoned road over Doe Run in West Marlborough Township before being relocated to Jefferis Ford.
Details
- State: Pennsylvania
- Route: PA Route 842
- Status: Active (Automobile)
- Type: Pratt Through Truss
- Total Length: 105'
- Main Span Length: 95'
- Spans: 0
- Deck Width: 14.4'
- Roadway Width: 0
- Height of Structure: 0
- Above Vertical Clearance: 17.2'
- Navigational Clearance: 0
Sources
- Father, John and Gilbert Cope. History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches. L.H. Everts, 1881, pp. 118, 350-353.
- “The Jefferis Family.” Family Search.
- Mims, Sarah. “Jefferis Bridge.” PocketSights.