Sparkill Creek Drawbridge
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Bridge Street crosses Sparkill Creek in Piermont on a small metal drawbridge built in 1880. The King Iron Bridge Company of Cleveland, Ohio, supplied the single-leaf span, which uses a Pratt pony truss of riveted metal angles and gusset plates with a timber deck. Chains run over winding drums atop lattice-braced towers, and iron counterweights allowed the leaf to be raised by hand crank. The geared crankshaft, reduction gear and flywheels remain on the northwest tower. A cast-iron plaque records the date, the manufacturer and the local highway commissioners. Piermont's highway commissioners chose a moveable design so that sloops and barges serving the creek's produce trade and riverside industries could pass. The bridge is described as remarkably unaltered and as the only known example of its type and period in New York State. Although it no longer opens, it still carries light vehicle traffic between the village business district and the residential area to the south.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a unique surviving example of a small late nineteenth century moveable bridge in New York State, and the only known example of its type and period still standing in the state. It keeps nearly complete integrity of design, materials and its weight-driven mechanical system. It also reflects the creek's role in shipping goods for Piermont's industries.
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 85000658, listed March 28, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Bridge St. over Sparkill Creek, Piermont |
|---|---|
| County | Rockland County |
| Listed | March 28, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85000658 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1880 |
| Architect / builder | King Iron Bridge Company |
| Architectural style | Pratt Pony truss moveable bridge (single-leaf drawbridge) |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Remains in use as a light vehicular crossing; no longer operated as a drawbridge. Condition listed as good and unaltered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.03738, -73.91579 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 85000658.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7573663
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.