{"nrhp_refnum":"88002171","name":"Waterville Bridge","other_names":[],"category":"structure","location":{"address":"Appalachian Trail over Swatara Creek","address_restricted":false,"city":"Swatara Gap","county":"Lebanon County","state":"PA","lat":40.480351694000035,"lon":-76.53161249599998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1988-11-14","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Engineering"],"significance_levels":["national","state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A single-span pin-connected lenticular truss bridge of 221 feet, built in 1890 by the Berlin Iron Bridge Company of East Berlin, Connecticut. It was moved from Waterville in Cummings Township, Lycoming County, and re-erected in 1985 over Swatara Creek as a pedestrian bridge on the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the bridge is an excellent example of the uncommon lenticular truss type, named for the lens-like shape of its curved chords. It also has unusually ornamental portals. The form cites engineering significance under Criterion C and notes that relocation saved the bridge from demolition during a PennDOT replacement project.","narrative":"Built in 1890 by the Berlin Iron Bridge Company of East Berlin, Connecticut, this single-span lenticular truss bridge measures 221 feet in length. Its name comes from the lens-like curves of its upper and lower chords. The pin-connected steel truss is built from channels, angles, eyebars and lacing bars, and its portals are notably ornamental. The bridge originally carried State Route 44 across Little Pine Creek in Waterville, a rural village in Lycoming County where the creek cuts a narrow gorge through the Appalachian Mountains. It is regarded as an excellent example of this uncommon truss type. In 1985 the bridge was dismantled, with each member numbered, cleaned by sandblasting, reinforced where needed and primed. It was then reassembled on new abutments over Swatara Creek for use as a pedestrian crossing on the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. A new wooden deck was installed, and the width of the original was kept. The bridge was saved from demolition during a state highway replacement project.","period_of_significance":"1890","architect_builder":"Berlin Iron Bridge Company, East Berlin (builder/contractor)","architectural_style":"Lenticular truss","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Moved in 1985 and re-erected as a pedestrian bridge on the Appalachian Trail; members numbered, dismantled and reassembled","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.1-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 17:11:37.893993-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_PA/88002171.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/88002171/a5f084808c-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/88002171/a5f084808c-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Joseph Elliott, cropped by User:Ruhrfisch","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Waterville_Bridge_in_Swatara_State_Park_HAER_462-14.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Joseph Elliott, cropped by User:Ruhrfisch</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Waterville_Bridge_in_Swatara_State_Park_HAER_462-14.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71993314","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterville_Bridge","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7974541"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/pennsylvania/lebanon-county/waterville-bridge-88002171/"}