Belle Hall Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
This single-span covered bridge carries Dutch Cross Road over Otter Fork, about three miles east of Croton in Licking County, Ohio. Built in 1887 according to the original nomination, though later research in county commissioners' records suggested 1879, it uses a four-panel multiple kingpost truss with an open center panel. It measures 56 feet overall with a 42-foot clear span, and has vertical board siding, a metal roof, cut-stone abutments and diagonally cut portals. The builder is unknown. The bridge was altered over time: a 16-ton truck broke through the floor in 1971, and five steel I-beams now support it from abutment to abutment. Some truss diagonals are missing. It is the last covered bridge left in Bennington Township and one of seven remaining in a county that once had about eighty. Local residents wanted it preserved, and it still serves a quiet rural road in a scenic setting.
Significance in brief: It is the last covered bridge remaining in Bennington Township and one of only seven left in a county that once had about eighty. It is a simple example of the multiple kingpost truss, the most common wooden truss type in Ohio, built with trunnel-pinned timbers.
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 76001464, listed October 22, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | E of Croton on Dutch Cross Rd., Croton |
|---|---|
| County | Licking County |
| Listed | October 22, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001464 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Builder unknown |
| Architectural style | Multiple kingpost truss covered bridge |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Reported in good condition, in use on a little-traveled township road; floor system rebuilt with steel I-beams after a 1971 failure. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.23551, -82.64054 (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 76001464.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q58904029
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.