Waterford Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Waterford Covered Bridge is a wooden covered bridge over LeBoeuf Creek in Waterford Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania, located just outside the small community of Waterford. Built in 1875, the 78-foot span is 15 feet wide and has a 10-foot clearance and a three-ton load rating. Richard Cross is named as its architect, and Charles and James Phelps as its builders. It uses the town lattice truss system, which is the only example of that system in the county. Its wide vertical plank siding and wooden shingled gable roof are also noted. The bridge was nominated as one of four Erie County covered bridges, which together represent 19th-century wood bridge technology and vernacular construction in rural Pennsylvania. Reviewers accepted it as one of a series, noting that the individual case for significance was modest but that the resources appeared eligible.
Significance in brief: The nomination identifies it as one of the few remaining covered bridges in Erie County and as an example of the town lattice truss system, the only one in the county to use it. It is one of four Erie County covered bridges nominated together as a thematic group representing 19th-century wood bridge technology and vernacular construction in rural Pennsylvania.
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 80003492, listed September 17, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | E of Waterford on T 459, Waterford Township, Waterford |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | September 17, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003492 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1875 |
| Architect / builder | Richard Cross (architect); Charles & James Phelps (builders) |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.94132, -79.96415 (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 80003492.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q2552548
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.