{"nrhp_refnum":"73000451","name":"Felton Covered Bridge","other_names":[],"category":"structure","location":{"address":"Covered Bridge Rd.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Felton","county":"Santa Cruz County","state":"CA","lat":37.051933388000066,"lon":-122.07146184299995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1973-06-19","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Engineering","Transportation","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A 140-foot covered wooden bridge on Covered Bridge Road in Felton, Santa Cruz County, California, built in 1892 from local redwood and owned by the County of Santa Cruz.","why_significant":"The nomination cites its architectural rarity as one of only 11 covered bridges left in California and as the tallest covered span in the United States at 35 feet. It served for 46 years as the San Lorenzo Valley's main wagon link to outside markets. Its rescue from replacement in 1938 is described as the first western example of preserving a bypassed bridge.","narrative":"Spanning the San Lorenzo River at Felton, this covered bridge was built in 1892 for $4,677 using local redwood. It measures about 140 feet long and 35 feet high, making it the tallest covered span in the United States, and it is one of only 11 covered bridges remaining in California. Its design combines Pratt and Warren truss features, with iron diagonals and vertical timber compression members. For 46 years it carried wagons hauling freight between Felton and Graham Hill Road, linking the San Lorenzo Valley to distant markets. In 1938 a new iron bridge was placed farther down the river, and Felton residents protested plans to demolish the old span. Their effort saved it, which is said to be the first western example of preserving a bypassed bridge. Floods and weather caused damage, including in 1955. Since 1959 the Felton Volunteer Fire Department has repaired it, replacing the north wall in 1960. The bridge is now open to pedestrians only and is a California Historical Landmark.","period_of_significance":"Built in 1892","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Pratt-Warren truss construction with iron diagonals and vertical timber compression members","criteria":[],"status_note":"Good condition; altered; on original site. Now used only for foot traffic and maintained by the Felton Volunteer Fire Department since 1959.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:32.155869-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_CA/73000451.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/73000451/b3c21706eb-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/73000451/b3c21706eb-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"W Nowicki","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Felton,_California_covered_bridge.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">W Nowicki</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Felton,_California_covered_bridge.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123861853","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felton_Covered_Bridge","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5442663"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/california/santa-cruz-county/felton-covered-bridge-73000451/"}