Bridge in Johnstown City
Also known as: See Also:Johnstown Inclined Railway
Why it's listed
Built in 1890 over Stoney Creek in Johnstown, Cambria County, this single-span, pin-connected Pennsylvania (Petit) truss bridge is 224.5 feet long overall and rests on cut stone abutments and wings. Its superstructure is steel, and the bridge carries vehicular traffic. The Cambria Iron Works, a predecessor to Bethlehem Steel Company, is credited with its construction. The bridge is part of the Johnstown Inclined Plane Railway and was originally built as a lifesaver, giving residents of the flood-prone city a route to higher ground. It is considered an intact example of a relatively long-span Pennsylvania truss. The structure is one of eight Pennsylvania (Petit) truss bridges included in a multiple-resource nomination. Its significance lies in transportation and engineering. In 1965 wood flooring and wire mesh railing were added, which altered its original appearance.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is an intact example of a relatively long-span Pennsylvania (Petit) truss and is one of eight such bridges in the multiple-resource nomination. It is also said to have played an important role in local transportation as part of the Inclined Plane Railway, and was originally built as a lifesaver allowing residents of flood-prone Johnstown to reach higher ground. Its areas of significance are transportation and 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 88000805, listed June 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | LR 525 spur over Stoney Creek, Johnstown |
|---|---|
| County | Cambria County |
| Listed | June 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000805 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1890 |
| Architect / builder | Cambria Iron Works (builder), a predecessor to Bethlehem Steel Company |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Altered in 1965 with added wood flooring and wire mesh railing; in vehicular use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.32687, -78.92716 (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 88000805.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q1660971
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.