Napa River Bridge on Zinfandel Lane
Also known as: Bridge no. 21CO002
Why it's listed
Carrying Zinfandel Lane across the Napa River about a mile east of State Highway 29, this two-lane bridge is an earth-filled, closed-spandrel masonry arch built in 1913. It has two spans of 43 feet each, measures 95 feet long and 23.5 feet wide, and is made of square-cut stone laid in regular courses, with cut-stone railings. Trees and fields surround it. Napa County Surveyor O.H. Buckman designed the bridge, and contractor J.B. Newman built it for $5,450. Napa County kept building stone arch bridges into the early twentieth century, long after most of California had turned to metal trusses, thanks to Buckman's confidence in stone, good local quarries and skilled stonemasons. The bridge was recognized for its engineering as a fine example of a rare bridge type in California. It has seen only routine maintenance, apart from minor parapet damage, and keeps its original look and rural setting. It remains in use as a public road crossing.
Significance in brief: The bridge is a well-preserved example of a stone masonry arch, a rare bridge type in California. It reflects Napa County's continued use of stone bridges into the early twentieth century, helped by a county engineer who favored stone, nearby quarries and skilled immigrant masons. It retains integrity of design, setting, materials and workmanship.
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 05000781, listed August 5, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Zinfandel Ln., 1 mi. E of CA 29, St. Helena |
|---|---|
| County | Napa County |
| Listed | August 5, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000781 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1913 |
| Architect / builder | Buckam, O.H. (designer); Newman, J.B. (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Other: Masonry Arch Bridge |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in vehicular use; appears essentially unaltered with only routine maintenance, though a small section of the northwest parapet has been knocked down and the center pier base has a concrete slab around it. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.49552, -122.54057 (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 05000781.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q133308704
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.