Church Hill (1861-1937)

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Church Hill bridge sat at the convergence of three roads in Weisel, one of the oldest road intersections in Bucks County at one time. Its former location now sits under Lake Nockamixon.

The Old Bethlehem Road ran from Philadelphia through Bucks County to Bethlehem and it was an important highway in the Colonial era. The Church Hill bridge sat at what was probably a ford over the Tohickon Creek used by the Lenape Indians, since the road was reportedly based on an Indian trail.

In 1919, the county said Church Hill bridge spanned the Tohickon Creek on the road leading from Church Hill to Applebachsville in Haycock, East Rockhill, and Bedminster Townships. It was repaired in 1912 by the Rieglesville Construction Co. at a cost of $821.

By January 1936, the state had taken over the bridge and planned to demolish it a year later. A story in the Perkasie Central News recalled the bridge’s former days when it was valued as a hiding place for students playing hooky and travelers seeking shelter from snowstorms. The newspaper said the volume of motor vehicle traffic on the new state-owned Bethlehem Pike required a modern structure.