Heirline Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Burr-arch truss covered bridge spanning the Juniata River in Harrison and Napier Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, with a recorded year of 1902. The bridge has a 136-foot end post length, an 8-foot 10-inch roadbed, and 12-foot 6-inch clearance. Its high exterior sidewalls leave narrow window rows under the eaves, and its portals have triangular edges. It can be seen from the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The property is significant as an example of wood bridge technology from the 19th and early 20th centuries, a bridge type once common in Bedford County. It is one of the county's surviving covered bridges, which were documented together as a thematic group. Reviewers recognized its value for its method of construction and engineering, and the bridge was judged eligible on that basis.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is eligible as an example of 19th-century and early 20th-century wood bridge technology, a type once common in Bedford County. It is one of the county's surviving covered bridges, which are listed together as a thematic group. The review notes say it meets the architectural and engineering criterion for its method of construction.
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 80003419, listed April 10, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | W of Bedford on LR 05097, Harrison/Napier Townships, Manns Choice |
|---|---|
| County | Bedford County |
| Listed | April 10, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003419 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architectural style | Burr-arch truss |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.01665, -78.59329 (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 80003419.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5700947
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.