Bridge in West Fallowfield Township
Why it's listed
A moderate span Pratt pony truss bridge crosses Octoraro Creek on Ross Fording Road in rural West Fallowfield Township, Chester County, near the Chester and Lancaster county line. Built in 1885, as its plate on the upper chord records, it has an 84.5-foot main span with metal superstructure and a wood deck, and its compression members are Phoenix columns. The bridge was fabricated by the Phoenix Bridge Company of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, a firm of national importance in iron and steel construction. It is a representative example of the company's standardized low truss highway bridge design and is considered a rare survivor of that type. Of seven Pratt pony truss bridges included in the group, two use Phoenix column members, and this structure is recognized for its engineering significance. The nominated property covers the superstructure and substructure within the wing walls, under an acre in area.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes the bridge as a typical example, though a rare survivor, of a standardized Phoenix Bridge Company low truss highway bridge. It is one of two of seven Pratt pony truss bridges in the group that were built with Phoenix column compression members, a patented column associated with the Phoenix Bridge Company of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. The significance is argued under 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 88000849, listed June 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Ross Fording Rd. over Octoraro Creek, Steelville |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | June 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000849 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1885 |
| Architect / builder | Designer/Engineer: Unknown; Builder/Contractor: James Denithorne; Bridge Company: Phoenix Steel |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.88281, -75.99162 (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 88000849.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4966388
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.