Pugh's Mill Covered Bridge
Also known as: Black Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Spanning Four Mile, also called Talawanda, Creek one mile north of Oxford in Butler County, Ohio, this two-span wooden covered bridge dates to about 1869. It has a sheet metal roof, tall vertical siding, stone abutments and a stone pier, plus added steel piers. Each span has a 103-foot clear span, and the total length is 224 feet. Its truss is a variation of the Long truss patented in 1830. The outer five panels of each span are true Long trusses, while the center five resemble a Childs truss, which makes the design a one-of-a-kind modified version. The builder and exact construction date are unknown. The names come from a nearby family named Black and from Pugh's Mill, located a short distance north. In 1951, when a new section of SR 732 was planned to bypass it, local citizens fought to keep the bridge. It is now closed to traffic, and a turn-around serves visitors.
Significance in brief: The bridge is a modified version of the Long truss, with 10 panels per span, and the form calls it the only one of its kind. It is also a beloved local landmark that residents fought to keep when a new section of SR 732 bypassed it in 1951.
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 75001336, listed June 5, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1 mi. N of Oxford off SR 732, Oxford |
|---|---|
| County | Butler County |
| Listed | June 5, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001336 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | about 1869 (19th Century) |
| Architectural style | Modified Long truss covered bridge (variation of the Long truss patented 1830) |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition marked good; closed to all traffic, auto and pedestrian, with a turn-around provided for visitors. Wire screening covers the portals, and steel piers were added under the spans. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.52397, -84.73484 (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 75001336.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7258946
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.