Bridge in Cumberland Township
Why it's listed
Spanning Marsh Creek in Cumberland Township, Adams County, this vehicular bridge was completed in 1894 by Nelson & Buchanon, a Chambersburg firm of engineers and contractors that built bridges throughout Pennsylvania. The structure is 255 feet long overall and carries three spans on three trusses: two pony trusses and one Baltimore truss. The main span measures 160 feet, with two secondary spans of 48 feet each. Its stone abutments and concrete-topped stone wings support steel superstructure, and the form marks the bridge as unaltered. Its significance rests mainly on the Baltimore truss, which is the earliest of the three representative examples of that type in the group nominated with it. It is also one of the few metal trusses in south central Pennsylvania, a region where most exemplary truss bridges in the group are not located. For these reasons it is valued for its engineering.
Significance in brief: The Baltimore truss is regarded as the primary reason for significance, being one of only three representative examples of this truss type in the nomination and the earliest example of its type among them. The bridge is also described as one of the few metal trusses in south central Pennsylvania, while most exemplary truss bridges in the nomination are in other regions of the state. The area of significance is engineering.
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 88000866, listed June 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | LR 01002 over Marsh Creek, Greenmount |
|---|---|
| County | Adams County |
| Listed | June 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000866 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1894 |
| Architect / builder | Nelson & Buchanon (designer/engineer and builder/contractor); Nelson & Buchanon Engrs. & Contrs., Chambersburg, Penna. |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vehicular use, unaltered integrity as marked on the form. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.75759, -77.28483 (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 88000866.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4966346
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.