Harpersfield Covered Bridge
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Why it's listed
Spanning the Grand River at Harpersfield in Ashtabula County, this two-span wooden covered bridge was built in 1873 on the Howe truss plan. At 243 feet, it is the longest covered bridge remaining in Ohio, where spans over 500 feet were once not unusual. The Howe design, patented in 1840, used wooden braces in X shapes with iron rod verticals that could be tightened to correct sagging. The bridge has high vertical siding, a shingle roof, and has always been left unpainted. The great flood of 1913 cut a new channel around the north end, so a steel truss span was added and the north abutment and center pier were rebuilt in concrete; the south abutment remains original cut stone. Heavy snow collapsed the roof in 1962-63, and the siding was replaced in 1963. The road became part of the state highway system in the early 1930s and returned to county control in 1962.
Significance in brief: At 243 feet, it is the longest covered bridge remaining in Ohio, at a time when covered bridges over 500 feet were once not uncommon. It also illustrates the Howe truss, patented in 1840, which introduced iron rods as vertical members.
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 75001315, listed November 3, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | County Road 154 over the Grand River, Harpersfield |
|---|---|
| County | Ashtabula County |
| Listed | November 3, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001315 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1873 |
| Architect / builder | Carpenter named Potter (said to have built it); Howe truss patented by William Howe |
| Architectural style | Howe truss covered bridge |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition, original site, altered; owned by Ashtabula County. The county was considering closing it to traffic and turning it over to the adjacent county park system. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.75629, -80.94424 (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 75001315.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5663518
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.