Pisgah Community Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Spanning a shallow branch of Little River about fourteen miles south of Asheboro, this forty-foot wooden covered bridge serves the Pisgah community in Randolph County, North Carolina. J. J. Welch, who built a number of covered bridges in the area, constructed it around 1910. It has a gable roof covered in standing seam tin, vertically sheathed sides, and dry-laid stone piers. Inside, a modified queenpost truss is exposed, and plank treads run the length of the floor. Small buttress-like braces sit above the four piers, and openings below the eaves provide light and ventilation. County records do not show that the commissioners took part in its construction, and it is said to have cost $40, so it may have been built privately. It is one of only two covered bridges left in a county that once had more than any other in the state, which is the basis for its recognition as a fine surviving example of the type.
Significance in brief: The bridge is one of two covered bridges remaining in a county that once had more of them than any other county in the state. It is described as a fine example of this type of construction and of interest to historians, engineers, architects and artists. Its modest size suggests it may have been privately built.
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 72000988, listed January 20, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SE of Pisgah on SR 1109 off SR 1112, Pisgah |
|---|---|
| County | Randolph County |
| Listed | January 20, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000988 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 20th Century |
| Architect / builder | J. J. Welch |
| Architectural style | Covered bridge with modified queenpost truss |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as good; the form notes it is altered and on its original site, and it is accessible to the public. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Coordinates | 35.54212, -79.89397 (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 72000988.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14708143
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.