{"nrhp_refnum":"78003010","name":"Gholson Bridge","other_names":[],"category":"structure","location":{"address":"S of Lawrenceville on VA 715 at Meherrin River","address_restricted":false,"city":"Lawrenceville","county":"Brunswick County","state":"VA","lat":36.71674784800007,"lon":-77.83117590499995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1978-05-05","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Engineering"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-span through Pratt truss highway bridge carrying Route 715 over the Meherrin River near Lawrenceville, Brunswick County, Virginia, built in 1884 by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company.","why_significant":"The nomination calls it the oldest multi-span truss bridge in the state's metal truss bridge inventory. It remains at its original location, and there are indications that an earlier bridge crossed at the same spot. Under the Research Council's rating criteria it scored 21.0 out of a possible 27.0 points.","narrative":"Carrying Route 715 across the Meherrin River south of Lawrenceville in Brunswick County, this two-span through Pratt truss bridge dates to 1884 and was built by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company. Its spans measure 86 feet and 100 feet 4 inches. The truss is probably wrought iron, with built-up top chords and end posts, small I-beam posts, and eyebar bottom chords and diagonals. The substructure is made up of random-coursed sandstone ashlar piers, abutments and wing walls. Decorative cast metal caps bearing the date top the end posts, and a pedimented bridge plaque is set on the portal strut. The bridge was recognized because it is the oldest multi-span truss in a statewide survey of metal truss bridges. It still sits at its original location, and evidence suggests an earlier bridge crossed the river at the same place. In the survey's rating system it earned 21.0 of a possible 27.0 points. The structure remains in public ownership and is in excellent condition.","period_of_significance":"1884","architect_builder":"Wrought Iron Bridge Company","architectural_style":"Two span through Pratt truss","criteria":[],"status_note":"Listed as occupied and in excellent condition, unaltered and on its original site; owned by the Virginia Department of Highways and Transportation and open to the public without restriction.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:51:56.784648-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/77/6798/41679877/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_VA/78003010.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78003010/5524d4178f-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78003010/5524d4178f-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Bruce A. Harms, Photographer","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gholson_Bridge,_Spanning_Meherrin_River_at_VA_State_Route_715,_Lawrenceville_vicinity_(Brunswick_County,_Virginia).jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Bruce A. Harms, Photographer</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gholson_Bridge,_Spanning_Meherrin_River_at_VA_State_Route_715,_Lawrenceville_vicinity_(Brunswick_County,_Virginia).jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/41679877","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gholson_Bridge","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14712355"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/virginia/brunswick-county/gholson-bridge-78003010/"}