Atkinson Road Bridge
Also known as: County Bridge No. 305
Why it's listed
Built in 1873 over Pidcock's Creek in rural southern Solebury Township, the Atkinson Road Bridge is a single-lane structure of native fieldstone, about 60 feet long, with three semicircular arches of cut-stone voussoirs. Its central section rises to a camelback peak, and concrete-topped parapets run along the roadway. A marble date stone set in the inside south wall gives the construction year. County records show a petition for the crossing, after years of impassable ford conditions, and a contract of $1,719 awarded in March 1873 to stone mason James Ricard and contractor Mathew Gibney. Completion was reported that September. Stone was the dominant bridge material in Bucks County from the early 1800s until about 1900, and several hundred were built between 1820 and 1890. Most have since been replaced or altered, so this bridge is regarded as a rare surviving example of its type and form. Its low-traffic rural location is cited as a reason it has remained largely intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is an excellent example of mid-19th-century stone-arch bridge construction in the region and is rare in Bucks County because most comparable bridges have been replaced. Its camelback form with semicircular arches is described as once common but now rare in the county. The bridge is also presented as representative of stone-arch bridge tradition in Pennsylvania.
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 02000222, listed March 20, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Atkinson Rd. and Pidcock's Creek, Solebury Twp |
|---|---|
| County | Bucks County |
| Listed | March 20, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000222 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1873 |
| Architect / builder | James Ricard (stone mason); Mathew Gibney (contractor) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition with original materials, alignment and setting intact; the document notes its listing on a PennDOT bridge replacement schedule as a threat. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.32727, -74.97842 (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 02000222.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4815927
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.