Pleasantville Bridge
Why it's listed
Burr arch covered bridge across Little Manatawny Creek in Oley Township, Berks County. David Renno built the open wooden span in 1852, one lane and one span, 16 feet wide and 128 feet long. Lumber shortages after the Great Flood of 1850 had left it uncovered. In 1856 Jonathan Bitner raised the sides, added a roof and a third arch, and set new support posts on the existing ones. Marble tablets over the two portals name both builders and their dates, which the nomination notes was unusual among the county's covered bridges. A stone on the northwest railing records a mason, Levi Marks, from 1852. The roof was replaced in 1950, and cracked beams were replaced with steel I-beams in 1964. A truck carrying a backhoe broke ten of the thirteen ceiling beams in 1975, and the bridge reopened that August after repairs.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the bridge as a covered Burr arch bridge and one of the few surviving examples of the county's covered bridges, which is the basis for listing as part of a thematic group. Its builders' marble tablets and two construction dates are cited as distinctive features.
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 81000533, listed February 23, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S of Mantawny on T 916, Oley Township, Oley |
|---|---|
| County | Berks County |
| Listed | February 23, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000533 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1852-1856 |
| Architect / builder | David Renno and Jonathan Bitner (builders) |
| Architectural style | Burr arch truss |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Oley Township Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.37905, -75.73872 (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 81000533.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7204157
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.