Avon Five Arch Bridge
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Why it's listed
Spanning Conesus Outlet Creek in Avon, New York, this limestone railroad bridge was built between 1856 and 1857 as part of the line connecting Rochester, Avon, Geneseo and Mount Morris. It is about 200 feet long, twelve feet wide and roughly thirty feet high, with five elliptical arches of rusticated coursed ashlar, three of whose piers rest in the creek bed. Timber braces were added over the arches in the late nineteenth century to cope with heavier locomotives, and a concrete cap was added when the rail gauge changed. The railroad firm Phelps, Mattoon & Barnes built it to help farms and small industries reach markets in Rochester. Trains stopped crossing it in 1941, and the Village of Avon bought it in 1971 for use as a park. Volunteers repaired it in 1992, and a 2009 report found the stonework in good condition. It is considered significant for its role in regional transportation and as a fine example of masonry arch construction.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites Criterion A for transportation, as a bridge of the Genesee Valley rail line linking farms and industries to Rochester markets. It cites Criterion C as an excellent example of a mid-nineteenth century masonry arch railroad bridge, built by the noted railroad contractors Phelps, Mattoon & Barnes.
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 11001001, listed January 4, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2078 Avon Geneseo Rd., Avon |
|---|---|
| County | Livingston County |
| Listed | January 4, 2012 |
| Reference number | 11001001 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1856-1857 |
| Architect / builder | Phelps, Mattoon & Barnes |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The rail line was abandoned in 1941 and the bridge was acquired by the Village of Avon in 1971; it is now part of a village park. Volunteers stabilized it in 1992, and a 2009 structural report found the masonry in good condition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.89854, -77.76390 (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 11001001.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q23073892
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.