St. Clair's Ford Covered Bridge

The Maryland Session Laws of 1838, Chapter 196 provided an act for building bridges over Deer Creek. One of those bridges was to be built "at or near Bailey St. Clair's Ford." The Act was passed on March 18, 1839.

The Harford Madisonian, on November 21, 1839, advertised for proposals for building a bridge at St. Clair's Ford. In part, the ad read: "Bridge Builders - The Commissioners of Harford County will receive sealed proposals for the building of two bridges across Deer Creek, one at Bailey's St. Clairs Ford and the other near Col. Edward Rutledge's Ford." The ad called for a shingled roof, framing made from white oak or pine timber and "the weather-boarding to be of good pine." The ad also stated that "it is expected that applicants will examine the sites and that the proposals will be accompanied with a plan for building the same in a workmanlike manner."

The bridge location was close to the old Clermont Mill.

The great flood of August 1, 1885 destroyed many of the bridges along Deer Creek as well as other waterways in Harford County. Nearly all of the wooden bridges were a total loss and many of the iron bridges were lifted from their abutments. Many of the iron bridges were saved, but some had to be replaced. The Harford Democrat, on August 7, 1885, reported St. Clair's as one of the bridges lost. Another article from the same newspaper, on September 5, 1885, reported "The washed away iron bridges at Smith's and St. Clair's, on Deer Creek and Anderson's Mill, on Little Creek, have been replaced and are now open to travel. This confirms that the wooden covered bridge at St. Clair's Ford was replaced sometime before August of 1885.