Andrews Bridge Historic District
Why it's listed
Andrews Bridge is a cluster of vernacular buildings at a rural crossroads on the west bank of the Octorara Creek in Coleraine Township, Lancaster County. Its six principal contributing buildings, dating from about 1800 to 1870, include a former inn, a mill and store, and several dwellings, along with three frame barns. The village grew around a ford that became a stone-arch bridge built in 1814, which carried the Newport Road across the creek. For over a century it supported a fulling mill, a tavern, a distillery, a country store, a post office established in 1833, and a blacksmith and wheelwright shop. The buildings use brick, stone, log and frame in the Penn Plan and three-bay house forms, and they are regarded as a well-preserved example of the commercial crossroads villages of southeastern Pennsylvania. The district is valued for its harmony of scale and materials and for keeping its original purpose.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the village is the best surviving example of a 19th-century rural crossroads village in Coleraine Township and the Octorara Scenic River corridor. It was a center of commerce for over a century, with a fulling mill, tavern, store, post office and blacksmith shop. Its buildings are a representative collection of early 19th-century vernacular architecture that keeps its original commercial character.
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 88003046, listed December 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of Rt. 896 and Sproul and Creek Rds., Colerain Twnshp |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | December 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88003046 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1920 |
| Architectural style | Colonial/Georgian; Early Republic/Federal; Mid-19th century/Greek Revival; vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Garage (#8) is non-contributing; the buildings are described as largely unaltered externally, and the 1814 stone bridge was demolished and replaced in 1944. |
| Acreage | 6.5 |
| Coordinates | 39.87145, -76.00524 (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 88003046.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4759063
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.