Hays Bridge Historic District
Why it's listed
Near the meeting of Licking Creek and the West Branch of the Conococheague Creek, southeast of Mercersburg in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, the district centres on a three-bay-wide, three-story stone house built into a slope, probably in the latter part of the first quarter of the 19th century. Its two main-floor rooms each have a fireplace and a tightwinder staircase, and the attic floor carries a layer of lime and clay mortar about an inch thick, a treatment linked to 18th-century construction in southern Pennsylvania. A stone bank barn with German siding stands nearby amid a working apple orchard. Several hundred feet south, a double-arched stone bridge of about 100 feet carries Township Route 331 over the Conococheague, and to the southwest, a Burr truss covered bridge built in 1883 spans Licking Creek. The site is valued for its regional stone building tradition, its 19th-century bridge engineering, and its rural setting.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be significant mainly for its vernacular stone architecture and the early 19th-century building tradition it represents in southern Pennsylvania. The two bridges are cited for their 19th-century engineering, and the farm complex for its agricultural history. Its scenic setting among limestone hills and cliffs with little modern intrusion is also noted.
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 78002402, listed July 31, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | E of Mercersburg on SR 331 and SR 328, Mercersburg |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | July 31, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002402 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | early 19th century |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Engineering, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house and barn are in fair to good condition and were prepared for restoration that was about to begin; the bridges are in use. |
| Acreage | 9.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.78858, -77.85402 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 78002402.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5687180
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.