Old Stone Arch Bridge
The pin is a point inside the NPS boundary polygon, not a surveyed location.
Why it's listed
Built in 1813 by Philip Diehl over Jack's Creek in Mifflin County, this one-span semi-elliptical stone arch bridge carries long, curving abutments. The bridge measures 123 feet 5 inches in length, stands 20 feet from the waterline to the top of the arch, and has an arch width of 39 feet with a deck 20 feet 9 inches wide. It was built as part of the Harrisburg to Lewistown section of the Harrisburg to Pittsburgh Turnpike, a road whose charter was granted by the Legislature in 1807 and whose western end was completed in 1818. The eastern section, begun with subscriptions in 1821, was finished in 1825. The bridge is regarded as the oldest single-span stone arch bridge in Central Pennsylvania. Its appearance was recorded in Currier and Ives lithographs of 1860, which helped make it widely known.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is the oldest single-span stone arch bridge in Central Pennsylvania and that it was built as part of the Harrisburg to Lewistown section of the Harrisburg to Pittsburgh Turnpike. It also notes the bridge became well known through Currier and Ives lithographs of 1860.
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 09000096, listed April 18, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Over Jack's Creek, Derry Township, Lewistown |
|---|---|
| County | Mifflin County |
| Listed | April 18, 1979 |
| Reference number | 09000096 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architect / builder | Philip Diehl (builder) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Performing Arts |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Repaired in 1930 and 1957 with no changes to its original appearance. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.58424, -77.55670 (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 09000096.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16983165
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.