Kennedy Bridge
Why it's listed
Kennedy Bridge is a covered bridge of wood construction on random fieldstone abutments, crossing French Creek at Kimberton in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Alex Kennedy and Jesse King built it in 1856 under a contract with the county commissioners, and it was completed that October. The 96-foot span carries a fourteen-foot roadway on a Burr-truss design, in which a massive wooden arch bolted to a kingpost truss on each side shares the load. The Burr-truss, designed by Theodore Burr in 1806 and patented in 1817, allowed spans of unprecedented length. The bridge is regarded as one of the area's earliest covered bridges and one of the most typical in its detail. It was damaged in the 1884 flood and repaired, and it was reinforced in 1956 with concrete added to the abutments while keeping its original look. It was rededicated during its centennial in 1956. Only sixteen of the more than one hundred covered bridges built in Chester County remain.
Significance in brief: The bridge is described as one of the area's earliest covered bridges and one of the most typical in its architectural detail. It is presented as representative of the Burr-truss design, an important advance in American bridge construction, and as a fine example of the wooden covered bridge type, which is rapidly disappearing. It is one of sixteen remaining covered bridges among the over one hundred built in Chester County.
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 74001770, listed January 21, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | N of Kimberton off PA 23 on Seven Stars Rd. over French Creek, East Vincent Township, Kimberton |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | January 21, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001770 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architect / builder | Alex Kennedy and Jesse King (builders) |
| Architectural style | Burr-truss |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Reinforced in 1956 for heavier loads with the original appearance preserved as far as possible; a new shingle roof was added in 1960; repaired after flood damage in 1884. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.14042, -75.57637 (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 74001770.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6389591
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.