Bridge in Lykens Township No. 2
Why it's listed
Built in 1872 over a tributary to Pine Creek in rural, wooded country near Fearnot in Dauphin County, this small single-span bridge carries vehicular traffic on a camelback arch of coursed ashlar masonry. Its form recalls the turnpike bridges that Pennsylvania built in the earlier nineteenth century, and the nomination describes it as an excellent example of that type. The arch uses precisely shaped voussoirs, an articulated keystone and shaped coping stones, and the masonry is described as intact. Its significance lies in engineering, as a well-preserved representative of a bridge type more commonly associated with the state's turnpike era. The nominated area is a rectangle of about 25 feet by 25 feet, enclosing the superstructure and substructure between the outer corners of the wing walls. The concrete wing walls are later additions, and the bridge is listed as one of several Commonwealth highway bridges entered in the National Register in 1988.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes the bridge as a typical small-span stone highway bridge and an excellent example of the camelback type associated with Pennsylvania's earlier nineteenth-century turnpike bridges. Its masonry, including precisely shaped voussoirs, an articulated keystone and shaped coping, is described as excellent in engineering quality and intact. The area of significance is engineering.
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 88000768, listed June 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence low).
Key facts
| Address | LR 22033 over trib. to Pine Creek, Fearnot |
|---|---|
| County | Dauphin County |
| Listed | June 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000768 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architectural style | Camelback bridge |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.63274, -76.66406 (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 88000768.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4966365
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.