{"nrhp_refnum":"84003120","name":"Bridge Valley Bridge","other_names":["Pettit's Bridge","Eight-Arch Bridge"],"category":"structure","location":{"address":"Spans Neshaminy Creek N of Hartsville, Warwick Township","address_restricted":false,"city":"Hartsville","county":"Bucks County","state":"PA","lat":40.27616094200005,"lon":-75.08324502599999,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1984-05-10","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Engineering"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A stone segmental-arch bridge of eight arches carrying the former Old York Road over Neshaminy Creek in Bridge Valley, Warwick Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1804 and is also known as Pettit's Bridge.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the bridge is a quality example of early 19th-century stone bridge engineering, notable for its scale and symmetry. It is described as having no other recorded eight-arch or longer stone-arch predecessors in Pennsylvania of its period, and as one of the oldest standing public structures in Bucks County. Its association with the primary York Road route between Philadelphia and New York is also cited.","narrative":"Eight segmental stone arches of field and quarried stone carry this bridge across Neshaminy Creek in Bridge Valley, Warwick Township, Bucks County. Built in 1804 under superintendent Phillip Millar, the structure spans about 218 feet, with each arch measuring 27 feet, and carries a 20.9-foot macadam roadway. It is also known as Pettit's Bridge, after nearby tavern keeper Elnathan Pettit, whose tavern supplied board and whiskey to the workers during the construction period of 290 days. The bridge served as a principal crossing on the York Road, a major stagecoach route between Philadelphia and New York, and it was used by Washington's Revolutionary War troops. Its scale and symmetry, along with its preserved construction records, are regarded as the reason for its listing. Repeated floods in the 19th century damaged the walls and arches, and the bypass by Route 263 left the bridge on an abandoned section of road. Vehicular traffic ended in 1970.","period_of_significance":"1800-1899","architect_builder":"Phillip Millar, Superintendent","architectural_style":null,"criteria":[],"status_note":"Vehicular use ended in 1970 and title was transferred to the Bucks County Conservancy in 1983, with restoration planned for pedestrian and bike use.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.1-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 17:11:33.464591-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_PA/84003120.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/84003120/f24180ac1b-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/84003120/f24180ac1b-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Shuvaev","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bridge_Valley_Bridge_PA_03.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Shuvaev</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:Bridge_Valley_Bridge_PA_03.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71995829","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_Valley_Bridge","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4966314"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/pennsylvania/bucks-county/bridge-valley-bridge-84003120/"}