{"nrhp_refnum":"88000738","name":"Bridge in Fishing Creek Township","other_names":[],"category":"structure","location":{"address":"LR 19078 over Little Pine Creek","address_restricted":false,"city":"Bendertown","county":"Columbia County","state":"PA","lat":41.151472761000036,"lon":-76.29553976799997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1988-06-22","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Engineering"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A 1915 concrete open-spandrel arch bridge carrying vehicular traffic over Little Pine Creek about 1.25 miles east of Bendertown in Fishing Creek Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania. It has a single 40-foot span.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the bridge is an important example of an unusual open-spandrel arch form. Its two narrow ribs rise high above the streambed, deck loads are carried to the ribs by two small posts, and bracing consists of simple concrete struts, using minimal materials in a well-executed design that takes advantage of concrete construction. The pierced molded concrete parapet with star-shaped designs makes it a handsome addition to its site. It is the only bridge of this configuration among the fifteen open-spandrel arches in the nomination.","narrative":"Built in 1915 over Little Pine Creek about 1.25 miles east of Bendertown in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, this single-span concrete bridge carries vehicular traffic across a 40-foot opening. Its builder was John L. Elder. The structure is an open-spandrel arch, a form in which the arch ribs are tied to the deck by slender posts rather than a solid masonry wall. Two narrow ribs rise high above the streambed, carrying the deck loads through two small posts, while simple concrete struts brace the arches. The designers used very little material to achieve a stable, efficient structure that makes full use of concrete's strengths. The high, multi-centered arch is finished with a pierced concrete parapet decorated with light, star-shaped patterns, which gives the crossing a distinctive appearance in its wooded and farmland setting. Among the fifteen open-spandrel arches included in the nomination, this bridge is the only one of its configuration. Its significance rests on engineering design, and it is listed for its unusual shape and construction. The bridge remains unaltered.","period_of_significance":"1915","architect_builder":"Elder, John L. (builder/contractor)","architectural_style":null,"criteria":[],"status_note":"Unaltered, with original site; used for vehicular traffic.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.1-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 17:11:37.19698-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_PA/88000738.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/88000738/58ee4d1d5e-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/88000738/58ee4d1d5e-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"PennDOT","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bridge_in_Fishing_Creek_Township.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">PennDOT</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bridge_in_Fishing_Creek_Township.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71992800","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_in_Fishing_Creek_Township","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4966352"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/pennsylvania/columbia-county/bridge-in-fishing-creek-township-88000738/"}