Second Street Bridge
Why it's listed
Crossing Chester Creek in the City of Chester, the Second Street Bridge is a concrete tied-through bowstring arch completed in 1919 by Delaware County. Its single main span measures 84 feet. Two arch ribs rise from masonry cut-granite abutments, and their lateral thrust is carried by horizontal ties. Hooked, radiating steel reinforcing bars join each rib to its tie, and ten hangers connect the floor beams to the arches. The deck carries vehicles today. Decorative concrete railings, set in a star pattern, form the parapets. The bridge is significant for its engineering. Its concrete build of a form more commonly made in steel makes it an unusual example. The nomination identifies it as the earliest known example of this type in Pennsylvania. Bowstring arches of this kind, sometimes called Rainbow or Marsh arches, were popular in the early decades of the twentieth century. James B. Long, later designer of the Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge, served as engineer.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes it as an unusual use of concrete in a form typically associated with steel arches, and as the earliest known example of this bridge type in Pennsylvania. It is significant under engineering. Its concrete bowstring arch form was popular in the early twentieth century.
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 88000752, listed June 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | PA 291/Second St. over Chester Creek, Chester |
|---|---|
| County | Delaware County |
| Listed | June 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000752 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architect / builder | James B. Long (engineer); Paul D. Kauffman (designer) |
| Architectural style | Concrete bowstring arch (tied-through arch; Concrete Rainbow) |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently in use for vehicular traffic, crossing PA 291 Second St. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.84487, -75.36034 (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 88000752.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7443570
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.