Bridge in Hatfield Township
Why it's listed
Built in 1874, this stone highway bridge carries a local road across West Branch Neshaminy Creek in Hatfield Township, Montgomery County. It has two arch spans, each about 20 feet long, flanked by long approach walls of masonry. The arch spans are set off from the body of the bridge by a shallow built-in recession, which creates a rectangular outline across both arch crowns. This arrangement is regarded as a feature peculiar to Montgomery County, where five stone arch bridges share it. The bridge is one of ten stone bridges in the county that were nominated as a group, with construction dates ranging from 1789 to 1910. Together they show the continuation of stone masonry bridge building in Pennsylvania over more than a century. The bridge's engineering design and its place within this regional tradition are the basis for its listing.
Significance in brief: The bridge is described as a typical nineteenth-century stone highway bridge with two short arch spans flanked by long approach walls. A small built-in recession sets the arch spans apart from the rest of the body, a feature the nomination says appears peculiar to Montgomery County, where five stone arch bridges share it. As a group, the county bridges illustrate the continuing tradition of stone masonry bridge construction in Pennsylvania.
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 88000861, listed June 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Orvilla Rd. over W branch of Neshaminy Creek, Unionville |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | June 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000861 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.28389, -75.27277 (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 88000861.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4966359
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.