Bridge in Yardley Borough
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
A single-span stone arch bridge carries Reading Avenue over Van Horn Creek in Yardley Borough, Bucks County. It was built in 1889 of coursed rubble masonry and measures about 50 feet overall, with a main arch span of 13 feet. The designer and builder are recorded as unknown. The bridge stands in a semi-rural setting next to golf courses and is used for vehicle traffic. Its masonry wing walls frame a rectangular nominated area of about 50 by 25 feet, and the nomination covers only the superstructure and substructure. Repointing is noted among its alterations. The bridge is significant for engineering. Its relatively large arch for a small stream crossing was chosen over a simpler solution, which the nomination treats as unusual for Bucks County in the late nineteenth century. It is also regarded as a return to earlier bridge building that favored short spans and rubble stonework.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is significant for engineering. Its thirteen-foot arch span is larger than a simpler crossing would need, which the form describes as unusual for a small late nineteenth-century bridge in Bucks County. It is seen as a return to earlier construction methods that favored short spans and rubble masonry.
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 88000770, listed June 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Reading Ave. over VanHorn Creek, Scammells Corner |
|---|---|
| County | Bucks County |
| Listed | June 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000770 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.23418, -74.83339 (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 88000770.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4966393
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.