Hammer Creek Bridge
Why it's listed
Hammer Creek Bridge is a single-span concrete arch carrying vehicular traffic over Hammer Creek near Brunnerville in Warwick and Elizabeth Townships, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Built in 1908, its main arch spans 72 feet and is capped by a continuous solid parapet wall decorated with simple incised lines. The bridge was constructed by Ferro Concrete Co. of Harrisburg, and its plaque records the date of construction and the county commissioners of the period. Its concrete voussoirs are incised with radiating lines, and the spandrels are solid. The bridge is significant for its engineering as an early twentieth century concrete highway bridge typical of Pennsylvania practice of the time. It is regarded as a particularly well preserved example of an early type of concrete bridge in the state. Its nomination sets out the structure as largely original, with some deterioration visible in the upstream parapet and exposed reinforcing steel.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes it as a representative example of an early twentieth century concrete bridge. Its continuous solid parapet wall, embellished with simple incised lines, is presented as typical of Pennsylvania's early concrete highway bridges. Among the nominated bridges it is described as a particularly well preserved example of an early type of concrete bridge in the state.
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 88000872, 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 36011 over Hammer Creek, Brunnerville |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | June 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000872 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1908 |
| Architect / builder | Ferro Construction Co. (builder/contractor) |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Document notes upstream parapet wall leaning, rebars exposed in voussoirs, and plate on downstream spandrels; integrity marked unaltered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.19676, -76.27885 (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 88000872.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4979096
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.