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Collection
Columbia Bridge Company Collection
Title
Columbia Bridge Company Collection
Object ID
MG0217
Date Range
1809-1843
230 North President Avenue • Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17603-3125 717.392.4633 • www.LancasterHistory.org Columbia Bridge Company Collection, 1809-1843 Object ID: MG0217 5 boxes 190 folders 3 cubic ft. Repository: LancasterHistory (Organization) Shelving Location: Archives South, Side 5 Scope and
  1 document  
Collection
Columbia Bridge Company Collection
Title
Columbia Bridge Company Collection
Description
The Columbia Bridge Company Collection is a valuable source of information concerning construction of bridges in the early 1800s. Documents concern the building of the first two bridges across the Susquehanna River in 1814 and 1832. Items in the collection include minutes, form for stock certificate, invoices, legal papers, proposals, receipts, stockholders, promissory notes, by-laws, settlement of stage tolls with Samuel Slaymaker 1813, salary receipts, circulars and announcements, bridge tolls, orders for payment, correspondence, and a stock certificate from 1842
Admin/Biographical History
First Bridge
Construction of the first Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge was begun in 1812 and completed December 5, 1814, by J. Wolcott, H. Slaymaker, S. Slaymaker at a total cost of $231,771, which was underwritten by the newly formed Columbia Bank and Bridge Company. The bridge was 5,690 feet (1,730 m) long and 30 feet (9.1 m) wide and had 54 piers and twin carriageways. Constructed of wood and stone, the covered bridge also included a wooden roof, a whitewashed interior and openings in its wooden sides to view the river and surrounding areas. It was considered the longest covered bridge in the world at the time. The bridge accommodated east-west traffic across the Susquehanna River for 14 years before being destroyed by ice, high water and severe weather on February 5, 1832.
Second bridge
Construction of the second Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge, also covered, started mid-1832 and was completed in 1834 (opening on July 8, 1834) by James Moore and John Evans at a cost of $157,300. It was 5,620 feet (1,710 m) long and 28 feet (8.5 m) wide and also enjoyed the distinction of being the world's longest covered bridge. The wood and stone structure had 27 piers, a carriageway, walkway, and two towpaths to guide canal traffic across the river. Much of the mostly oak timber used in its construction was salvaged from the previous bridge. Its roof was covered with shingles, its sides with weatherboard, and its interior was whitewashed. The structure was modified in 1840 by the Canal Company at a cost of $40,000 concurrent with the construction of the Wrightsville Dam. Towpaths of different levels and with sidewalls were added to prevent horses from falling into river, as happened several times when the river flooded. The roof of the lower path formed the floor of upper path. In this way, canal boats were towed across the river from the Pennsylvania Canal on the Columbia side to the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal at Wrightsville. Sometime after 1846, a double-track railway was added, linking the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad to the Northern Central Railway. Due to fear of fire caused by locomotives, rail cars were pulled across the bridge by teams of mules or horses.
Information from "Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge," https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia%E2%80%93Wrightsville_Bridge. Accessed 3 February 2020.
System of Arrangement
The papers of the First Columbia Bridge built in 1814 are filed in folders #1 to 157. The papers of the Second Columbia Bridge built in 1832 are filed in folders #158 to 181.
Date Range
1809-1843
Year Range From
1809
Year Range To
1843
Date of Accumulation
1809-1843
Creator
Goodell, Robert Hilliard, 1899-1992.
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Archives South
Storage Wall
Side 05
People
Albright, William
Chew, Benjamin
Coleman, Robert
Dickson, William
Gilpin, Joshua
Gilpin, Thomas
Grimler, Benjamin
Haldeman, C.
Hamilton, William
Harbaugh, Leonard
Hoff, John
Hopkins, James
Hubley, John
Hubley, Joseph
Lloyd, Evan
Mifflin, Joseph
Poulson, Zachariah
Reynolds, John
Rittenhouse, Joseph
Shaffner, Casper
Slaymaker, Henry
Slaymaker, Samuel
Varle, Charles
Wilson, Edward
Wilson, Thomas A.
Witmer, A.
Wright, William
Wolcott, John
Subjects
Bridges
Business records
Columbia (Pa.)
Letters
Minutes (Records)
Stockholders
Stocks
Susquehanna River
Search Terms
Advertising
Applications
Board of Directors
Bonds
Bridges
Broadsides
Business records
By-laws
Checks
Columbia
Columbia Bridge Company
Construction
Contracts
Correspondence
Farmers Bank of Lancaster
Financial records
Finding aids
Gatekeepers
Invoices
Letters
Loans
Manuscript groups
Minutes
Murray Draper and Company
Promissory notes
Receipts
Reports
Salaries
Stockholders
Stocks
Susquehanna River
Taxes
Tollhouses
Tolls
Extent
5 boxes, 190 folders, 3 cubic ft.
Object Name
Archive
Language
English
Object ID
MG0217
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Notes
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Collection Title (MG#), Folder #, (or Object ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. The original items in Folder 69 may not be used due to their fragile condition. All other original documents may be used by researchers--contact Research@LancasterHistory.org prior to visit or request at Reference Desk.
Copyright
Collection may be photographed. Images have been provided for research purposes only. Please contact Research@LancasterHistory.org with questions or for a high-resolution image and permission to publish.
LancasterHistory retains the rights to the digital images and content presented. The doctrine of fair use allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder. Fair use includes comment, criticism, teaching, and private scholarship. Any images and data downloaded, printed or photocopied for these purposes should provide a citation. All other uses beyond those allowed by fair use require written permission.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory. Persons wishing to publish any material from this site must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright or other use restrictions. Publication fees may apply.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-217
Classification
MG0217
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Added to database 13 January 2022.
Documents
Less detail
Collection
Robert H. Goodell Family Papers
Title
Robert H. Goodell Family Papers
Object ID
MG0548
Date Range
1810-1949
.) Columbia Bridge Company Culver Military Academy Diplomas Ephemera Family archives Family crests Finding aids First Presbyterian Church Fort Sheridan, Illinois Genealogy Lancaster Country Club Manuscript groups Obituaries Officers’ Reserve Corps Pecano, The Pennsylvania Serenaders Programs Receipts Rotary
  1 document  
Collection
Robert H. Goodell Family Papers
Title
Robert H. Goodell Family Papers
Description
The Robert H. Goodell Family Papers contain documents, ephemera and family papers of Robert H. Goodell, his father, Joseph E. Goodell and their Hilliard, Sener and Zahm antecedents.
Date Range
1810-1949
Year Range From
1810
Year Range To
1949
Date of Accumulation
1810-1949
Creator
Goodell, Robert Hilliard, 1899-1992
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Archives South
Storage Wall
Side 11
People
Albraith, George
Albraith, John
Eberman, Jacob
Gignilliat, Leigh Robinson
Goodell, J. R.
Goodell, Joseph Edward
Goodell, Robert Hilliard
Miller, Eliza Sehner
Sener, Godlieb
Sener, Samuel Miller
Sehner, Gotlieb
Steinman, John Friedrick
Yeates, Jasper
Zahm, Godfried
Zahm, Matthias
Subjects
Ephemera
Family archives
Genealogy
Search Terms
Articles
Bonds
Cards
Chemists
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
Columbia Bridge Company
Culver Military Academy
Diplomas
Ephemera
Family archives
Family crests
Finding aids
First Presbyterian Church, Lancaster
Fort Sheridan, Illinois
Genealogy
Lancaster Country Club
Manuscript groups
Obituaries
Officers' Reserve Corps
Pecano, The
Pennsylvania Serenaders
Programs
Receipts
Rotary International
Schwaigaru, Wurtenberg, Germany
Student Army Training Corps
Taxes
United States Army
Extent
1 box, 3 folders, .25 cubic ft.
Object Name
Archive
Language
English
Object ID
MG0548
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Related Item Notes
Goodell, Robert H. 1942. "The First Columbia Bridge." Journal of the Lancaster County Historical Society, v. 46, no. 4-5. https://collections.lancasterhistory.org/en/permalink/lhdo2270
Goodell, Robert H. 1943. "John L. Boswell and The Columbia Spy." Journal of the Lancaster County Historical Society, v. 47, no. 2. https://collections.lancasterhistory.org/en/permalink/lhdo589
Goodell, Robert H. 1943. "Matthias Zahm's Diary." Journal of the Lancaster County Historical Society, v. 47, no. 4. https://collections.lancasterhistory.org/en/permalink/lhdo616
Goodell, Robert H. 1953. "The Second Columbia Bridge." Journal of the Lancaster County Historical Society, v. 57, no. 1.
Photograph of H. S. Wolfe and Robert Hilliard Goodell (3-18-01-02)
Photographs of Goodell family members (2-16-11-09)
Notes
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Collection Title (MG#), Folder #, (or Object ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Restrictions are noted at the item level.
For original items that may be used by researchers, contact Research@LancasterHistory.org prior to visit or request at Reference Desk.
Copyright
Collection items may be photographed. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org. Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory. Persons wishing to publish any material from this collection must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright or other use restrictions. Publication fees may apply.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-548
Classification
MG0548
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Added to database 19 January 2022.
Documents
Less detail
Author
Wilson, William Bender,
Date of Publication
1897
latter by sale. As early as May 1, 1852, they procured legislative authority to make such disposition of it, but it was not until twelve years thereafter, on the heels of disaster, that the sale was ac- complished and the Columbia Bank and the Columbia Bridge Company became two distinct corporations, and
  1 document  
Responsibility
by W. B. Wilson, Esq.
Author
Wilson, William Bender,
Place of Publication
Lancaster, Pa
Publisher
Lancaster County Historical Society,
Date of Publication
1897
Physical Description
[226]-250 p. ; 23 cm.
Series
Journal of the Lancaster County Historical Society ; v. 1, no. 6
Summary
The article discusses several bridges that crossed the Susquehanna River from Columbia, PA and their destruction by weather and war. Then the article moves to the initiation of the telegraph between Lancaster and Harrisburg when the invention was still in its infancy.
Subjects
Columbia Bridge Company.
Telegraph - Pennsylvania - Lancaster.
Telegraph - Pennsylvania
Columbia Bridge (Columbia, Pa.)
Columbia (Pa.) - History.
Contained In
Journal of the Lancaster County Historical Society. Volume 1, number 6 (1897), p. 226-250Lancaster History Library - Journal974.9 L245 v.1
Documents

vol1no6pp226_250_227956.pdf

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The first Columbia bridge

https://collections.lancasterhistory.org/en/permalink/lhdo2270
Author
Goodell, Robert H.
Date of Publication
1942
enable them to avoid paying Interest, a considerable portion of which will ultimately come out of the State Treasury, in conse- quence of the expense of the Bridge being augmented by the payment of said interest." 6 Rates of Toll The rates of toll for the Columbia Bridge Company were as follows: "For
  1 document  
Responsibility
by Robert H. Goodell.
Author
Goodell, Robert H.
Place of Publication
Lancaster, Pa
Publisher
Lancaster County Historical Society,
Date of Publication
1942
Physical Description
[97]-127 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.
Series
Journal of the Lancaster County Historical Society ; v. 46, no. 4 & 5
Subjects
Columbia Bridge Company.
Columbia Bank and Bridge Company (Columbia, Pa.)
Bridges - Pennsylvania - Lancaster County.
Contained In
Journal of the Lancaster County Historical Society. Volume 46, number 4/5 (1942), p. 97-127Lancaster History Library - Journal974.9 L245 v.46
Documents

edit_vol46no4&5pp97_127.pdf

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Collection
Heritage Center Collection
Object ID
HC-53-01-018
  1 image  
Object Name
Transparency, Slide
Collection
Heritage Center Collection
Description
Columbia Bridge Company five dollar note.
Provenance
Slides from the collection of the Heritage Center
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Subcategory
Documentary Artifact
Search Terms
Currency
Money
Columbia Bridge Company
Object Name
Transparency, Slide
Film Size
35 mm
Object ID
HC-53-01-018
Images
Less detail
Collection
Heritage Center Collection
Object ID
HC-53-01-019
  1 image  
Object Name
Transparency, Slide
Collection
Heritage Center Collection
Description
Columbia Bridge Company twenty dollar note.
Provenance
Slides from the collection of the Heritage Center
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Subcategory
Documentary Artifact
Search Terms
Currency
Money
Columbia Bridge Company
Object Name
Transparency, Slide
Film Size
35 mm
Object ID
HC-53-01-019
Images
Less detail
Collection
Heritage Center Collection
Object ID
HC-53-01-142b
  1 image  
Object Name
Transparency, Slide
Collection
Heritage Center Collection
Description
Columbia Bridge Company Stockholders Report, 1820.
Provenance
Slides from the collection of the Heritage Center
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Subcategory
Documentary Artifact
Search Terms
Columbia Bridge Company
Object Name
Transparency, Slide
Film Size
35 mm
Object ID
HC-53-01-142b
Images
Less detail

7 records – page 1 of 1.