Etters Bridge
Also known as: Green Lane Bridge
Why it's listed
Built in 1889 across Yellow Breeches Creek, the Etters Bridge is a single-lane, simple-span Pratt through truss with wrought iron trusses resting on stone and concrete abutments. It replaced a wooden bridge that floods had destroyed in May and June of that year. The Cumberland County Commissioners selected Dean and Westbrook, a New York City firm of bridge engineers and contractors, to build the new span. The superstructure was procured from the Phoenix Bridge Company and its parent, the Phoenix Iron Company, of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, and uses patented Phoenix column sections for its compression members. The bridge linked the mill community of Milltown on the Cumberland County side with farms and businesses on the York County side. Its main significance lies in its engineering and its role in local transportation. Most of the deck was replaced around 1960 with steel grid, and guard rails were added in 1976. The bridge still carries an average daily traffic of 2000 or more vehicles.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is a significant transportation link, built in 1889 to replace a wooden span destroyed by flood. It is described as the last wrought iron Phoenix bridge in extensive use in the local area. The design is credited as an efficient, well-built use of Phoenix column sections and eye-bar tension members.
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 86000308, listed February 27, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Green Lane Dr. and Yellow Breeches Creek, Lower Allen Township |
|---|---|
| County | Cumberland County |
| Listed | February 27, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000308 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1889 |
| Architect / builder | Dean and Westbrook (builder/contractor), New York City |
| Architectural style | Pratt truss |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still carrying traffic; posted for a 15 ton load limit; altered with a steel deck and guard rails. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.22413, -76.89733 (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 86000308.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5404999
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.