Bittenbender Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Built in 1888 by the Dodson brothers, Frank, Monroe and Stephen Harrison Dodson, this covered bridge crosses Huntington Creek in Huntington Township, Luzerne County. It is a queenpost truss structure measuring 68 feet 8 inches long and 13 feet wide, with 11 feet 4 inches of clearance and a rated load of 5 tons. The bridge has a double layer of oak planking for its floor and rough vertical plank siding, parts of which are now missing. In 1936 a center concrete pier and undergirder members were added, and outriggers followed in 1974. It is regarded as the last covered bridge in Luzerne County. The nomination also records that in 1927 the Ku Klux Klan burned two Bittenbender barns and attempted to set the bridge alight with gas-soaked straw, though the bridge survived. Its value lies in its surviving queenpost construction and its place among the covered bridges of the Delaware River watershed.
Significance in brief: The form describes it as the last covered bridge in Luzerne County and as an example of its truss form. It is listed as a contributing resource within the Covered Bridges of the Delaware River Watershed thematic group. Its builders were Frank, Monroe and Stephen Harrison Dodson, and it was built in 1888.
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 80003563, listed December 1, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence low).
Key facts
| Address | S of Huntington Mills off LR 40076, Huntington Township, Huntington Mills |
|---|---|
| County | Luzerne County |
| Listed | December 1, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003563 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architect / builder | Frank, Monroe and Stephen Harrison Dodson (builders) |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in fair condition, with repairs in 1936 and outriggers added in 1974; rough vertical plank siding is missing in several places. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.18089, -76.22458 (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 80003563.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q12053161
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.