Ruhle Road Lenticular Metal Truss Bridge
Why it's listed
This 51-foot-7-inch pin-connected pony truss bridge carries a trail over Ballston Creek on Ruhle Road in Malta, Saratoga County. It was built in 1888 by the Berlin Iron Bridge Co. of East Berlin, Connecticut, for a road over Black Creek in Salem, Washington County, using the lenticular truss patented by William O. Douglas. After the span was removed from service in 1990, it was stored by Washington County. Malta later accepted it to replace the Ruhle Road stone arch bridge, which collapsed in a 1993 flood. The truss was disassembled, moved about 30 miles in 2001, and re-erected on new abutments faced with stone salvaged from the earlier bridge. It opened to foot and bicycle traffic in August 2002. The bridge is significant as one of roughly 13 surviving lenticular spans in New York and as an intact example of a prolific nineteenth-century bridge manufacturer's work. It retains its original plaque and its design, materials and workmanship.
Significance in brief: The bridge is significant under Criteria A and C as a rare, substantially intact example of small metal truss bridge design by the Berlin Iron Bridge Co. of East Berlin, Connecticut, using William O. Douglas's patented lenticular truss. It is one of about 13 known surviving lenticular spans in New York State. It also reflects rural transportation history in the late nineteenth century.
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 04000954, listed September 4, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Ruhle Rd over Ballston Creek, Malta |
|---|---|
| County | Saratoga County |
| Listed | September 4, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000954 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1888 |
| Architect / builder | Berlin Iron Bridge Co. of East Berlin, Connecticut (lenticular truss patented by William O. Douglas) |
| Architectural style | No style |
| Criteria |
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| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In use as a pedestrian and non-motorized vehicle crossing on a park trail; maintained by the town of Malta. |
| Coordinates | 42.95837, -73.81679 (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 04000954.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7378664
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.