Gudgeonville Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Built in 1868 by William Sherman, the Gudgeonville Covered Bridge is a multiple kingpost truss structure carrying a township road across Elk Creek in Girard Township, Erie County. It spans a deep valley and is described as one of the most striking covered bridges in Pennsylvania because of that setting. Its features include narrow vertical siding, cut stone abutments, and a gable roof. The bridge is one of only a few covered bridges still standing in Erie County. It is presented as an example of nineteenth-century rural wood bridge construction in Pennsylvania, and it was listed as part of a group of Erie County covered bridges documented together. The bridge has a length of 72 feet, a width of 14 feet, and a load limit of 3 tons, with a clearance of 12 feet. Its condition is recorded as fair.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is one of the most spectacular covered bridges in the state because of its setting in a deep valley over Elk Creek. It is one of the only remaining covered bridges in Erie County and is presented as an example of 19th-century rural wood bridge technology in Pennsylvania. The bridge is listed as part of a series of Erie County covered bridges, and the reviewers noted that the case made for it was weak but that the resource appeared eligible.
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 80003491, listed September 17, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Se of Girard on T 460, Girard Township, Girard |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | September 17, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003491 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architect / builder | William Sherman (builder) |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition recorded as fair. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.98183, -80.26587 (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 80003491.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q1553046
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.