Wanich Covered Bridge No. 69
Why it's listed
Fernville's Wanich Covered Bridge No. 69 is a timber covered bridge in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, built on a Theodore Burr arch truss. It measures 98.75 feet long, with a roadway 15.25 feet wide and 10 feet of clearance. The truss uses four diagonal beams on either side of a king post, with the arch superimposed on the truss. Its stone and mortar abutments were repaired with concrete only where needed, and no steel reinforcement was added to the undergirding or deck. The walls carry horizontal beveled boards, and the roof is lined with wooden shingles. The bridge was built by George Russell, Jr. Columbia County's covered bridges, including this one, are noted for their varied designs, which include king post, Warren, queen post, Burr and Howe trusses. The bridge served the county's growing towns and the farm and mill trade that depended on travel between them.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is significant under engineering and transportation. Its Theodore Burr arch truss design is presented as part of the county's distinctive covered bridge engineering. The document notes that bridges were needed to serve rapid town growth and farming, saw and grist mill activity.
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 79003195, listed November 29, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Off PA 42, Fernville |
|---|---|
| County | Columbia County |
| Listed | November 29, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003195 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architect / builder | George Russell, Jr. (builder) |
| Architectural style | Theodore Burr arch truss |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.03995, -76.48323 (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 79003195.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7967939
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.