White Rock Forge Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Spanning the West Branch Octoraro Creek on road T337 between Little Britain and Colerain Townships in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the White Rock Forge Covered Bridge is a Burr truss structure built in 1847. It measures 87 feet along its end post length and 15 feet in width. Its exterior is finished with vertical plank siding beneath a gable roof, and its portals are triangular, with two rectangular side windows set into the walls. The bridge belongs to a group of covered bridges in Lancaster County that were considered together in a multiple property submission. Its significance lies in its survival as a representative example of frame covered bridge construction from the nineteenth century. The form records the bridge in excellent condition, with its trusses described as sound. Reviewers noted that the abutments needed closer examination and that the boundary had been adjusted to take them in, which allowed the bridge to be accepted for listing.
Significance in brief: The nomination treats the bridge as one of the Covered Bridges of Lancaster County thematic group. It cites vertical plank siding, a gable roof, triangular portals and two rectangular side windows as distinguishing features. The form records its condition as excellent.
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 80003522, listed December 10, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S of Kirkwood on T 337, Little Britain/Colerain Townships, Kirkwood |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | December 10, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003522 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architectural style | Burr truss covered bridge |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition recorded as excellent |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 39.82472, -76.08987 (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 80003522.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7995334
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.