Remnants of abandoned town, bridge buried by water revealed as lake level drops

SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa. — The Great Crossings Bridge in Somerset County was built in 1818 under President James Monroe. It was part of the National Road connecting the Potomac and Ohio rivers.

Right now, hundreds of people have been making their way to the bridge to see it in person. It’s not always visible, as it’s usually buried under 50 feet of water.

“We saw it online and had to come see the phenomenon!” said Gary and Barbara Jenkins of Bethel Park.

Everyone we spoke to had something to say about what they were seeing.

“It’s mind-boggling to me,” added Vincent Arlotta of Scottdale.

“We don’t have a road that lasts two years let alone 200,” Barbara Jenkins said.

“It’s hard to fathom how this happens,” added Deb Arlotta.

The town of Somerfield was buried by water in the 1940s when the Youghiogheny River Lake was built.

One of the biggest remnants of that town is the Great Crossings Bridge.

This is what it once looked like.

It’s visible — and walkable — and is the main attraction at the Youghiogheny River Lake right now.

That’s because the lake level is down significantly due to severe drought.

“We get to walk back in time and see everything that was here before we started our operation,” said Vince Klinkner of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

This isn’t the first time the bridge and remains of Somerfield’s streets, sidewalks, and even tree stumps have been visible.

“I did a quick search and had seen a least a dozen times that this has been out,” Klinkner said.

The water level does drop in the lake every year around November and then fills back up through the winter months.

But this year’s drought has dropped the water more than normal, and it’s not done.

“I would expect that we have the potential for a top three low given the trajectory that we’re on now for our forecasts,” Klinkner said.

The Army Corps of Engineers doesn’t believe this will be the record, which is about 20 feet lower than the current water level, which was reached in the 1950s.

Still — if you want to see the 206-year-old bridge and remnants of Somerfield in person, you’ll have to stop by sooner rather than later.

Klinkner said the basin typically starts to fill back up in December.

“It’s worth the trip!” Alotta said.

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