Bridge L-158
Also known as: Bridge L-158,New York and Mahopac Railroad
Why it's listed
Spanning the Muscoot Reservoir near Goldens Bridge, Bridge L-158 is a 163-foot iron railroad truss with a long travelling history. It was built in 1883 as the shortest of three spans carrying the New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railroad over Rondout Creek in Ulster County. In 1904, as New York City built the New Croton Water Supply System, it was moved to Westchester County and narrowed from double-track to single-track width for the New York and Mahopac Branch. Trains used it until about 1960. Its design follows a double-intersection truss patented by Squire Whipple in 1846, and its compression members use prefabricated Phoenix columns, a notable nineteenth-century bridge-building advance. It is considered the only surviving example of this railroad truss type in New York. The bridge was measured and drawn in 1976 for the Historic American Engineering Record and remains structurally sound, though abandoned.
Significance in brief: It is described as the only known double-intersection Whipple truss railroad bridge surviving in New York State. It is technologically significant for its prefabricated iron Phoenix columns, and its patented truss design is tied to engineer Squire Whipple. Its 1904 relocation illustrates the reuse and downgrading of iron bridges in the 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 78001923, listed November 29, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | W of Goldens Bridge at Croton River, Goldens Bridge |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | November 29, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78001923 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Clarke, Reeves, and Company (manufacturer, a subsidiary of the Phoenix Iron Company); originally erected by the North River Construction Company in 1883 |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Abandoned since the New York and Mahopac ceased operation about 1960; in sound structural condition despite lack of maintenance; listed as unoccupied. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 41.29636, -73.68256 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 78001923.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q913612
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.