Water, Wall, and Pine Streets Lenticular Truss Bridges
Also known as: Homer Bridge District
Why it's listed
Three iron bridges carry Water, Wall and Pine Streets across the Tioughnioga River in Homer, New York, forming a small district that also takes in parts of the approach streets and the river between them. In 1881 the village trustees, wanting a safer and more convenient way across the river, ordered the bridges from a Connecticut firm, the Corrugated Metal Co. of East Berlin, and paid $2,800 for all three. Each uses a lenticular truss, with a bowed upper chord and a lens-shaped lower chord of wrought iron bars. The Wall Street span measures 58 feet and the Pine Street span 71 feet. The Water Street bridge, at 97 feet, uses two trusses that meet on a stone wall. Finial-capped posts decorate the structures. They are valued as examples of inventive iron bridge design and as links in an old trade route. They remain in use, although maintenance has been neglected and the Water Street bridge faces possible demolition.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the three bridges as examples of Yankee ingenuity in their use of lenticular trusses. They continue to link a principal southern trade route to the village and Cortland County. The Water Street bridge is noted as the most dramatic because of its double span.
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 77000938, listed October 5, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Wall, Water and Pine Sts., Homer |
|---|---|
| County | Cortland County |
| Listed | October 5, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77000938 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Corrugated Metal Co. of East Berlin, Connecticut (also referred to as the Berlin Iron Bridge Co.) |
| Architectural style | Lenticular truss bridges (iron lenticular pony truss) |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The bridges are still in use, though maintenance has been neglected; the Water Street Bridge is threatened with demolition. Condition is marked fair. |
| Acreage | 6.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.63732, -76.17633 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 77000938.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7973213
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.