Salisbury Center Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
This 42-foot wooden covered bridge crosses Spruce Creek on Fairview Road in Salisbury Center, near an old mill site and spillway and beside a picnic area. Alvah Hopson, a local bridge builder, completed it in 1875 using the Burr truss, a system combining a flat truss with two timber arch ribs on each side of the roadway. Wood pins hold the frame together, and the arches rest on stone and concrete abutments. A sign over the north portal warns of a one-dollar fine for crossing faster than a walk. The bridge was listed because it is the sole survivor of seven such bridges once in the town of Salisbury and the only example of its type in its region of New York. Only twenty-five of more than 250 covered bridges built in the state in the nineteenth century still exist. Today it carries light traffic, limited to vehicles under two tons.
Significance in brief: It is the only survivor of seven covered bridges once present in the town of Salisbury and the only example of its type in its region of the state. Only twenty-five of more than 250 nineteenth-century covered bridges in New York still exist. It represents a vernacular building tradition that continued despite growing industrialization.
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 72000848, listed June 19, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Fairview Rd. over Spruce Creek, Salisbury Center |
|---|---|
| County | Herkimer County |
| Listed | June 19, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000848 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1875 |
| Architect / builder | Alvah Hopson, local bridge builder |
| Architectural style | Burr truss (arch-and-truss) covered bridge |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as fair; open to vehicles under two tons with minimal traffic. Alterations include a metal roof covering, replaced siding and flooring boards, and a concrete abutment from 1968. |
| Coordinates | 43.14089, -74.78760 (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 72000848.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7404747
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.