Perrine's Bridge

Rosendale, Ulster County, New York Listed April 13, 1973 Ref. 73001281 Structure

Why it's listed

Perrine's Bridge is a covered wooden bridge crossing the Wallkill River between Rosendale and Esopus in Ulster County, New York. Built in 1844, it has a single 138-foot span and uses the Burr Arch system patented by Theodore Burr in 1817, combining parallel chords and diagonals with two timber arch ribs so the load is shared. Oak, chestnut and hemlock form the structure, the roof is shingled with cypress, and the abutments are bluestone quarried near Kingston, laid up with Rosendale cement. The bridge is described as one of the oldest covered wooden bridges still standing in the state and the only true Burr Arch example. It carried horse-and-buggy, automobile and pedestrian traffic until a new Route 32 opened in 1932. Standing near a Thruway overpass and a steel bridge, it illustrates changes in bridge engineering. After repairs in 1969 it serves as a footpath to a picnic and recreation area.

Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the oldest covered wooden bridges still standing in New York State and the only true example of the Burr Arch type. It is valued for its arch construction, its scenic setting, and its role in showing the progress of bridge engineering beside later bridges. It served as a major transportation link until 1932.

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 73001281, listed April 13, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).

Key facts

Address	Off U.S. 87 over Wallkill River, Rosendale
County	Ulster County
Listed	April 13, 1973
Reference number	73001281
Resource type	Structure
Period of significance	19th Century (specific date 1844)
Architectural style	Burr Arch covered wooden bridge
Areas of significance	Engineering, Transportation
Level of significance	State
Status (as stated in the nomination)	Repaired in 1969; condition listed as good and altered; now functions as a footpath to a picnic and recreational facility.
Acreage	21
Coordinates	41.81464, -74.05329 (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 73001281.
Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
Wikidata Q7169635
This listing as JSON

Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.