Reemergence of 206-year-old Great Crossings Bridge draws thousands to Yough Lake

Span built in 1818 visible after drought lowered water level

A severe drought this summer has turned the once mighty Yough Lake back into the Youghiogheny River, and in doing so has revealed a more than 200-year-old stone bridge that's become a tourist attraction with tens of thousands of visitors flocking to see it in recent weeks.

The water level of Yough Lake situated between Fayette and Somerset counties has dropped to nearly historic lows, which has caused the Great Crossings Bridge rarely seen over the last 80 years to reemerge, along with remanants of the sunken town that was flooded in the early 1940s after the creation of the Yough Dam near Confluence.

Dean and Dianne Ambrose traveled from their home in New Stanton on Wednesday afternoon and marveled at the unusual sight of the ghost bridge that is usually submerged under more than 50 feet of water during the summer months.

"The structure, the architecture. It's amazing," Dianne Ambrose said. "It's been underwater all of these years and survived."

Dean Ambrose was shocked to see how low the lake was, noting that it looked more like a small stream in some spots. But he was happy to have the opportunity to see the bridge and focused on the intricate stonework, including the keystones at the center of each of the three arches.

"Yeah, it's the Yough River again. That's neat," he said. "History from the past showed up all of a sudden."

Michelle Hinerman of Rostraver used to fish along the shores of the Yough Lake, so she came Wednesday not just to admire the bridge, but also to see the shockingly low water level.

"I've seen it low before, but nothing like this," Hinerman said, before turning her attention to the bridge. "It's beautiful architecturally. It's beautifully built. Just something neat to see."

The Great Crossings Bridge officially opened to the travelers on July 4, 1818 with a ceremony that included President James Monroe and other national dignitaries. The 375-foot-long bridge constructed of sandstone was a major improvement as the federal government expanded the National Road, allowing people and goods to travel more easily through the mountainous region.

The bridge spanned the Youghiogheny River connecting Somerset and Fayette counties and was still in use until the early 1940s when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed Yough Dam in nearby Confluence as part of federal flood control efforts in the late 1930s. The little town of Somerfield on the Somerset County side was taken through eminent domain and its 142 residents were relocated.

The Daily American newspaper in Somerset marked the town's demise with the headline "Somerfield doomed, nears its end" in December 1941, according to the Somerset County Historical Society's records, and the town was gradually flooded before the dam officially went into operation in 1944. While the town of Somerfield is mostly lost to history, some sidewalks, road curbs and foundations of houses are still visible within the muddy lake bed.

While the bridge makes an appearance every several years – the last time was in December 2019 when the water level dropped to 1,372.5 feet – the sheer amount of the structure now protruding above the water seems to be especially unique.

According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's online hydrology chart, the water level at Yough Lake's dam was just above 1,364 feet as of Friday afternoon and has dropped nearly 15 feet in the past month, exposing more of the bridge to visitors with each passing day. In comparison, the minor flood stage level for the lake is at 1,468 feet, while Jockey Hollow's boat ramp on the Fayette County side is no longer accessible at 1,419 feet.

The lake usually lowers significantly during the winter months, but the drought in the region this summer has caused it to fall well below normal levels. According to Army Corps records, the level has fallen below 1,362 feet four times in the past 80 years – most recently in December 1998 when it was at 1,361.34 feet – and this year could break into the top five of lowest levels if it continues to decrease as the NOAA hydrology chart is forecasting.

All of this has attracted national and even international exposure to the area that has brought tens of thousands of visitors in recent weeks, with weekends attracting mobs of people.

"We're always glad to see an interest in history," said Jacob Miller, who serves as curator for the Somerset County Historical Society. "Something like this pops up and it sparks a lot of curiosity."

But with that attention and influx of crowds, the Army Corps made the decision on Nov. 8 to close the bridge to pedestrian traffic, placing three concrete barriers at its entrance with signs warning people not to walk across it. The viewing areas around the bridge remain open to the public, although parking has been somewhat difficult to find on weekends with the rush of visitors.

"The district understands the enthusiasm surrounding this rare opportunity to view a piece of history that seldom emerges from the lake," said Col. Nicholas Melin, who serves as Army Corps commander for the Pittsburgh District. "However, the safety of our visitors is our top priority. Given the bridge's uncertain structural integrity, we have made the decision to restrict access to the bridge."

Some of the visitors Wednesday disregarded that warning as they walked to the end of the bridge where it disappeared into the muddy lake bed. While Army Corps officials said they "cannot guarantee its structural integrity," the bridge still appeared to be in surprisingly good condition considering its age and having been immersed underwater for most of the last eight decades.

One man commented about the construction quality and noted there were only a couple of potholes visible on the bridge's paved road surface.

"They're not built like this anymore," he said.

A few hundred yards away along the Somerfield boat ramp that leads to the bridge, old newspaper clippings and historical photographs were displayed so visitors could see what the town and bridge once looked like before they were flooded. Martha Nedley of Clarksville and Susie Gunchuck of Deemston hunched over admiring the pictures as they prepared to walk toward the bridge to see the relic for themselves.

"This is something you may never see again," Gunchuck said. "To see something built in 1818."

"It's just really interesting," Nedley added. "It's once in a lifetime."