Harrington Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Built about 1870 over the West Branch of Conneaut Creek in Conneaut Township, Erie County, the Harrington Covered Bridge is a multiple kingpost truss structure measuring 72 feet long and 14 feet wide, with a clearance of 12 feet. Its vertical siding rests on cut stone abutments, and a gable roof covered in wooden shingles protects the truss. The portal is plain and slopes inward toward the trussing system. William Sherman is named as the builder. The bridge was repaired in 1962 under the supervision of the state highway department and was reported in good condition. It is one of the few covered bridges still standing in Erie County. Its importance lies in showing how rural Pennsylvania built wooden bridges with local, practical methods in the nineteenth century. It was nominated as part of a county group of covered bridges, and the reviewers accepted it as eligible within that series.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge illustrates 19th-century wood bridge technology and the vernacular design of covered bridges built in rural areas of Pennsylvania. It is one of the few remaining covered bridges in Erie County and was nominated as part of a thematic group of county covered bridges. The reviewer noted the case for significance was weak but accepted the bridge as eligible because it belongs to that series.
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 80003488, listed September 17, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | T 338, Conneaut Township, Albion |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | September 17, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003488 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | c. 1870 |
| Architect / builder | William Sherman (builder) |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition given as good; repaired in 1962 under supervision of the state highway department. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.86882, -80.42894 (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 80003488.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15223083
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.