Bunker Hill Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Bunker Hill Covered Bridge carries an old road over Lyle's Creek near Claremont, in Catawba County. The eighty-foot span rests on dry-laid stone ramps and combines a multiple king post truss with a Haupt truss, joined by trunnels. Vertical board and batten siding covers the structural members, a standing seam tin gable roof protects it, and plank treads run along the wooden floor. The bridge began as an open span in 1895, after county commissioners took action in 1894 against the owners of Bunker Hill farm for failing to build and maintain a bridge on the old Island Ford Road. The owners built the stone footings from nearby quarry stone, and the span was probably built under Andy Ramsour. It was covered in 1900, and a metal roof replaced the old clapboards in 1921. It is listed as a late nineteenth century example of bridge construction and as one of only four covered bridges remaining in North Carolina.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls the bridge an important example of late nineteenth century bridge construction in North Carolina. It is one of four remaining covered bridges in a state that once had hundreds. It is listed for architecture and transportation, at the local level of significance.
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 70000446, listed February 26, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2 mi. E of Claremont on U.S. 70, Claremont |
|---|---|
| County | Catawba County |
| Listed | February 26, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000446 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1895 (19th and 20th centuries checked) |
| Architect / builder | Probably built under the direction of Andy Ramsour with local laborers; footings erected by Mary Lee Smith and the other owners of Bunker Hill farm |
| Architectural style | Multiple king post truss combined with Haupt truss, joined with trunnels |
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition marked good; unaltered and on its original site. The bridge is in the care of the Catawba County Historical Association with help from the State Department of Archives and History. |
| Acreage | 8 |
| Coordinates | 35.72235, -81.10980 (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 70000446.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4997758
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.