Bridge Street Covered Bridge

The town of Elkton had at least three covered bridges within a short distance of one another, all crossing the Big Elk Creek. One of them, at Bridge Street, did not last very long, as evidenced by an article in the Baltimore Sun on November 14, 1870:

Destruction by Fire of the Bridge over the Elk--

The citizens of Elkton were aroused about five o'clock on Tuesday morning by a wild cry of "fire!" which passed from house to house, and in a few minutes had awakened every sleeper in the town. It proved to be the handsome covered bridge over the Elk, at the foot of Bridge street, which was this time the victim of the devouring elements. The fire was first discovered by a servant girl in the kitchen of H.D.M. Howard, Esq. Mr. Howard was quickly aroused and hastened to the spot, but, before he could reach it, the bridge, owing to the extreme dryness of its timbers and a large quantity of scattered straw on the floor, was already enveloped from one end to the other in flames. A large crowd speedily gathered, but it was evident that nothing could be done to save the burning structure, and hence all effort was devoted to saving the three or four sailing vessels whose proximity to the bridge put them in imminent danger.

The bridge, which was entirely consumed, was a comparatively new structure, and was built by the county authorities at a cost of not less than five thousand dollars.