Bridge in Radnor Township No. 1
Why it's listed
Built in 1905 over Darby Creek on Goshen Road in Radnor Township, Delaware County, this stone bridge has three masonry arches: a main span of 45 feet flanked by two spans of 19 feet each. The overall length is 80 feet. Its designer is recorded as Theophilus P. Chandler, and the builder as J. A. Morris. Each arch is semicircular, built of coursed masonry with an ashlar parapet. The bridge is listed for its engineering and design, as a well-preserved example of the multi-span stone bridges common in Delaware County. Decorative details set it apart from ordinary crossings: a carved keystone records the construction date, a belt course runs along the roadway, and unfinished stones cap the parapet. Its surviving stonework has been supplemented by gunite and concrete repairs, which the form records as alterations. The nominated area covers only the bridge structure itself, about one acre or less.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes it as a well-preserved representative of Delaware County multi-span stone bridges, which typically share a semicircular arch form and intermediate length. Like two other nominated arch bridges in the county, it has decorative embellishment, including a carved keystone bearing the construction date, a belt course at the roadway, and upright stones capping the parapet. The listing record adds Engineering as an area of significance.
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 88000791, listed June 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Goshen Rd. over Darby Creek, Broomall |
|---|---|
| County | Delaware County |
| Listed | June 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000791 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1905 |
| Architect / builder | Theophilus P. Chandler (designer/engineer); J. A. Morris (builder/contractor) |
| Architectural style | Semi-circular stone arch |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Various gunite and concrete repairs have been made; the form notes the bridge as altered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.00359, -75.37160 (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 88000791.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4966372
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.