When I feel like I need to clear my mind, I always end up going for a walk around campus. I, for one, love Allegheny’s older, classic architecture. Allegheny’s much smaller campus size and older designs make us stand out compared to large state schools. When I am walking around campus, I always enjoy looking at all of the architecture, even though I’ve already been going to Allegheny for two years now. 90 percent of the time, I end up walking or chilling by the creaky old wooden bridge on the south side of campus.

I honestly did not even know that it was called The Rustic Bridge. I’ve been here for two years already and somehow managed to miss this part, which could be due to the fact that not many students talk about it much.

Knowing more about it now, I do wish that the college would highlight some more of their historic landmarks on campus so that other students can appreciate them as well. For example, back when it was first constructed, it was common for Senior Class Day speeches to be delivered from the bridge.

The bridge, made entirely out of wood with a few screws here and there, has been around for over 100 years. It, of course, has received multiple replacement parts since it was originally constructed, but the fact that it is still here for that long is impressive. The most recent reconstruction of the bridge happened in 1993 and had a couple of other ones before that.

Allegheny wanting to keep this structure around shows that they care about the history and longevity of the college. Since Allegheny has been around for about 200 years, the campus has seen incredible changes, but still has those old structures to signify where the college has come from.

One of my favorite parts about this landmark on campus is what surrounds the bridge. Personally, I greatly enjoy being outside and in nature, so this area is a great little place to relax and admire the scenery. It sits surprisingly high off the ground from the small grassy ravine below. The tiny creek on the side of the hill also adds a nice touch below the bridge. I enjoy the little canal that it flows through, which is surrounded by bricks, and the moss covering those brings them to life as well. This small area is a nice place to hang out sometimes or even just to walk through if I have a couple of minutes to kill. I remember going to the bridge one time last winter when it was freezing since I love being outside in the cold. Seeing how beautiful the campus looked and especially the bridge made me appreciate attending Allegheny instead of a lot of other schools.

Sometimes it’s also nice to stop by and chat with people hanging out there. I’ve talked to people about simple things like how classes are going or their plans for the weekend, to much deeper conversations such as the conflicts in Nepal. It’s nice that other people at Allegheny appreciate these spontaneous conversations like I do.

At any time of year, the bridge looks great. During the spring and summer, all of the greenery below and around is relaxing. During the fall, this area is one of my favorite places to admire changing leaves and the autumnal colors.

Even in the winter with snow and ice covering the entire bridge, it’s beautiful to look around at the snowy expanse covering the ground. Sometimes the bridge is closed for safety reasons due to ice, but it usually clears up once it stops snowing.

One of my favorite times to go and see the rustic bridge is during sunsets. I personally love sunsets and was very surprised that Meadville and the surrounding areas actually have really good ones.
Right in the middle, there is a perfect little clearing where you can catch an amazing view of the sun setting over the hills in the distance. The canvas of trees and hills around Meadville and campus allows for great, clear views.

My parents, who both graduated from the college, have mentioned to me how they both like the bridge as well. They’ve also said to me how it still looks very similar to how it did around the time that they went to school here.

During their time there, they often thought that it was a nice touch being on campus and that my dad would often pass it on his way down to Carnegie Hall. In times where they’ve revisited campus they are surprised that it still is in pretty good shape and still exists.

There really are not any other places on campus like the bridge. While yes, many of the other buildings are beautiful, this is one of the only structures in Allegheny where you can enjoy the outdoors at the same time as staying on campus.

Lately I have noticed that the bridge has become a bit run-down, especially on some of the planks that make up the floor. A lot of them move around and are a bit shaky at times. It’s even been a tradition for people to steal the 13th plank for years on the bridge which recently happened once again during Blue and Gold Weekend.

I personally hope that Allegheny will continue its upkeep on this structure, as well as the surrounding area, even though it is pretty old. This area still provides students of Allegheny with a quiet, calming space for those who might need it.

The bridge by no means has fancy colors or art on it. Even though it is not the most complicated architectural structure at Allegheny and has had missing planks or can be creaky, I have always been able to enjoy this area of campus since it allows me to take even a small break to relax and feel calm.

Out of all the buildings and areas on campus, the rustic bridge is the one that I enjoy the most, and I hope that you can find your spot, too.