Hall's Bridge
Also known as: Sheeder-Hall Bridge
Why it's listed
Built ca. 1850 at a cost of $1,564, this covered bridge crosses French Creek at Henry Hall's Farm on the road between Red Hill Cannery and Birchinville, in Chester County, Pennsylvania. It is a pegged wood structure of the Burr-truss type, in which a timber arch bolted to a kingpost truss on each side carries the level roadway. The bridge spans 116 feet and has a roadway thirteen-and-one-half feet wide. Its sides are sheathed in horizontal boards with ventilation openings, and its entrances are topped by wooden pediments. The Burr-truss form, invented by Theodore Burr in 1806 and patented in 1817, was the only type built in the county from 1812 to 1885. Hall's Bridge is described as the oldest covered bridge in the county, and one of sixteen surviving out of more than one hundred built. A 1962 arson attempt and a proposed demolition were followed by a 1965 reinforcement with steel and concrete that kept its original appearance.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is significant as a representative example of the Burr-truss bridge type, a major advance in American bridge design, and as the oldest covered bridge in Chester County. It notes that few of the county's covered bridges survive and that the bridge has survived fire and demolition threats. Its span is described as one of the longest of its date.
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 73001600, listed April 23, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | About 3 mi. N of Chester Springs at Sheeder Rd. and Birch Run, East/West Vincent Townships, Chester Springs |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | April 23, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001600 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | ca. 1850 |
| Architectural style | Burr-truss |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Reinforced in 1965 with steel stringers, a new wood deck and a concrete pier at midspan after narrowly escaping demolition. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.14767, -75.62046 (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 73001600.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5642528
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.