Deep River Camelback Truss Bridge
Also known as: Truss Bridge #155
Why it's listed
A steel camelback truss bridge spanning the Deep River in a rural setting of woods and farmland between Chatham and Lee counties, North Carolina. The bridge is 160 feet long, with a deck fifteen and one-half feet wide and set thirty-four feet above the water. Its two identical steel trusses are each divided into eight panels, joined by portal, lateral and sway bracing, and pin-jointed. The northern end rests on a random-laid undressed stone pier, which is thought to date from the first bridge at the site in the nineteenth century, while two concrete piers support the south end. Approach spans were rebuilt in 1950. The bridge was first erected in 1901 as part of a multi-span crossing over the Cape Fear River at Lillington. After a span collapsed in December 1930, salvaged spans were reused, and one was re-erected here in 1932. It was judged eligible as one of the best surviving examples of its type in the state's metal truss inventory.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is one of the few surviving examples of an important phase of transportation and engineering history in North Carolina. It was among 35 metal truss bridges judged eligible for listing as the best examples of their types with high integrity of form and setting. Only four camelback trusses from the 1979 inventory remained standing in 1995.
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 95000696, listed June 9, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Adjacent to NC 2153 over Deep R., Cumnock-Gulf |
|---|---|
| County | Chatham County |
| Listed | June 9, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000696 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1910-1945 |
| Architectural style | Other: camelback truss |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Engineering |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.57050, -79.24098 (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 95000696.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5250268
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.