Manasses Guth Covered Bridge
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Why it's listed
A single-span Burr arch covered bridge crossing Jordan Creek near Stettlersville, in South Whitehall Township, Lehigh County. The structure dates to 1858 and was rebuilt in 1882. It measures about 108 feet between end posts, is 17 feet wide, and has a clearance of 11 feet 6 inches. Its walls are finished in vertical siding, and it rests on stone abutments. Steel reinforcements were added in recent years to strengthen the timber framing. The bridge is listed as part of a group of covered bridges in the Delaware River watershed. Its importance lies in the way it illustrates nineteenth-century wooden bridge construction. The Burr arch system, which combined an arch with a truss, was widely used for bridges of this size in the region. The surviving structure gives a clear example of that engineering tradition in Lehigh County.
Significance in brief: The form identifies the bridge as an example of the wooden bridge technology of the 19th century, and the nomination was submitted as part of a multiple property group of covered bridges in the Delaware River watershed. The bridge retains vertical siding and stone abutments. Its significance rests on its representation of this bridge type.
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 80003559, listed December 1, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | W of Greenawalds on T 602, South Whiteland Township, Orefield |
|---|---|
| County | Lehigh County |
| Listed | December 1, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003559 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architectural style | Burr arch truss |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition given as good; steel reinforcements were added in recent years. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 40.62847, -75.55334 (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 80003559.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6747032
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.