Herr's Mill Covered Bridge
Also known as: Soundersburg Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Built in 1885 across Pequea Creek at Soudersburg, the covered bridge carries a road along the boundary between Paradise and East Lampeter townships in Lancaster County. It has two spans of 89 feet each, built with burr arch trusses, a timber form that combined arches and trusses to carry load over a long span. Vertical plank siding encloses the structure, and its abutments are cut stone. A distinctive feature is a side entrance that connects to an adjoining road, and several windows fitted with awnings light the interior. Lancaster County once had many covered bridges, and this one was grouped with others in a multiple property nomination of county covered bridges. The bridge is recorded in excellent condition, which the nomination cites as part of its case for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
Significance in brief: The form describes a two-span burr arch truss bridge with vertical plank siding and cut stone abutments, in excellent condition. It is one of a group of covered bridges in Lancaster County nominated together as a thematic resource. The nomination notes an unusual side entrance from an adjoining road and several windows with awnings.
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 80003537, listed December 10, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence low).
Key facts
| Address | SW of Soundersburg on T 696, Paradise/East Lampeter Townships, Soundersbury |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | December 10, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003537 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architectural style | Burr arch truss |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition recorded as excellent. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 40.00988, -76.16194 (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 80003537.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5743844
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.