First Street Bridge
Also known as: Bridge No. 21C-95
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Why it's listed
Carrying First Street over the Napa River about half a mile from downtown Napa, this reinforced concrete bridge was completed in 1914. It measures roughly 155 feet long and 61 feet wide, with three spans supported by four T-girders. In elevation it shows a central arch flanked by two half-arches, along with pilasters, buttresses, scored quoin-like end walls and a parapet with recessed panels. Pylons at the ends mark the railings, and a plaque names the mayor, council members, engineers and contractor. Leonard and Day designed the bridge and C. H. Gildersleeve built it. It was listed for its engineering importance: concrete girder bridges only began appearing in California around 1910, and a 1986 state survey rated this one among the best of hundreds, with only six judged more important. Its early date, technical merit, appealing arch and designers all contributed. Apart from asphalt on the deck, it appears unaltered and remains a working road crossing.
Significance in brief: The bridge is significant under Criterion C in the area of Engineering as an excellent example of early twentieth-century reinforced concrete girder bridge construction in California. It was built when concrete girder bridges were still cutting-edge technology. It is also valued for its sweeping central arch and for being the work of Leonard and Day, whose senior partner John B. Leonard was among the state's most important concrete bridge designers.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 04000774, listed August 5, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | First St. across the Napa R, Napa |
|---|---|
| County | Napa County |
| Listed | August 5, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000774 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1914 |
| Architect / builder | Leonard and Day (designer); Gildersleeve, C. H. (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Other: Concrete Girder Bridge |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in vehicular use; the structure appears unaltered apart from a layer of asphalt on the deck. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.30158, -122.27934 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 04000774.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q78497242
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.