River Gauge @ Hunsecker's Mill Covered Bridge - Bird in Hand, PA - River Gauges on Waymarking.com

As I went underneath this covered bridge to explore the truss design, I stumbled upon this river gauge. The gauge is on a large wooden blank which is drilled into the 19th century stone abutment. The gauge extends up 14 feet, stopping a few feet short of the top of the abutment.

Hunsecker's Mill Covered Bridge is a covered bridge located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The bridge has a single span, wooden, double Burr arch trusses design. The bridge, which spans the Conestoga River, is 180 feet (54.9 m) long, making it the longest single span covered bridge in the county. There are windows in the center of the bridge so you can look out at the 'raging' creek below. The bridge is closed to car traffic due to maintenance but pedestrians are still able to cross.

The bridge's WGCB Number is 38-36-06. Unlike most historic covered bridges in the county, it is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places. I think this is because it was reconstructed after a hurricane washed it away back in 1972. The bridge is approximately one mile southeast of Pennsylvania route 272 and is 0.5 miles (0.8 km) north of Pennsylvania Route 23 off Mondale Road on Hunsecker Road. The bridge divides the road on which it is upon into Hunsecker Road (East) and Hunsicker Road (West).

Wiki tells us the original bridge was built in 1843 by John Russell at a cost of $1,988. It was and is a double Burr Arch truss system. It has been swept away in flooding numerous times, most recently in 1972 after Hurricane Agnes. Waters lifted the original structure off its abutments and carried it downstream. In 1973, following destruction from the hurricane, it was rebuilt at a cost of $321,302. As already indicated, Its length of 180 feet makes it the longest single-span covered bridge in the county.