Bridge in West Wheatfield Township
Why it's listed
Spanning Richards Run in rural, wooded West Wheatfield Township, Indiana County, this single-span stone arch bridge was completed in 1911, as recorded by a carved datestone set in the parapet above the keystone. Its semicircular arch measures 30 feet across and carries a local road, and the bridge is built of coursed, rock-faced ashlar with formed concrete parapets and coping. The design follows the camelback form of nineteenth-century Pennsylvania highway bridges, with a narrow wall above the arch crown and pale coping stones that emphasise the profile. Many camelback bridges built in the twentieth century copied their predecessors closely, but this one combines the older shape with a different masonry technique. It is regarded as an engineering example of that blend and is one of only five nominated stone arch bridges in western Pennsylvania.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is a distinctive early twentieth-century example of the camelback form, which it adapts by using rough, rock-faced ashlar rather than the rubble masonry of earlier camelback bridges. The narrow wall above the arch crown and contrasting concrete coping accentuate the camelback profile. It is also described as one of only five nominated stone arch bridges in western 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 88000774, listed June 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | LR 32008 over Richards Run, Robinson |
|---|---|
| County | Indiana County |
| Listed | June 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000774 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1911 |
| Architectural style | Camelback |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.40318, -79.12892 (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 88000774.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4966389
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.