Larkin Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
A burr-truss covered bridge spanning a branch of Marsh Creek in Marsh Creek State Park, Upper Uwchlan Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. It measures 60 feet long and 14.5 feet wide, with a clearance of 12.5 feet. The first bridge at this location was built in 1854 near the Larkin grist mill, and the present structure was built in 1881 by the brothers Menander and Ferdinand Wood. After the creation of the Marsh Creek dam in 1972, the bridge was moved to concrete abutments at its current site, as the original location was submerged under about 60 feet of water. The bridge is one of several covered bridges in Chester County considered together as examples of late nineteenth-century transportation construction in the county. Its condition is recorded as poor. It is owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Bureau of State Parks.
Significance in brief: The document describes the bridge as one of several covered bridges in Chester County listed together as a group, and as a good example of mid-to-late 19th-century covered bridge construction in the county. The bridge is the second Larkin bridge on the site, rebuilt in 1881 by the Wood brothers after an earlier bridge of 1854. Its historical significance rests on its construction type and representation of local transportation heritage.
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 80003458, listed December 10, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence low).
Key facts
| Address | N of Downingtown in Marsh Creek State Park, Upper Uwchlan Township, Downingtown |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | December 10, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003458 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architect / builder | Menander and Ferdinand Wood (builders) |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition recorded as poor; bridge moved to its present site on concrete abutments after the Marsh Creek dam was built in 1972. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.07105, -75.72039 (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 80003458.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6489610
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.