Fagleysville Road Bridge Crossing Swamp Creek
Why it's listed
A 135-foot Pratt through truss bridge crosses Swamp Creek on Fagleysville Road in Upper Frederick Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1888 and carries vehicular traffic across a rural woodland and farmland setting. Its compression members are Phoenix columns, a patented design of wrought iron built from flanged, segmental sections riveted together to form a tube. The Phoenix Bridge Company was a nationally prominent builder, and this column type was a trademark of its work. Of the fourteen Pratt through trusses included in the group of bridges nominated with this one, this is the only example fabricated with Phoenix columns. It is also one of only four trusses in that group located in southeastern Pennsylvania. The nominated area is a rectangle about 135 by 25 feet, covering only the superstructure, substructure and wing walls. The bridge was listed for its engineering significance. The form records it as closed to traffic.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is significant for engineering. Its compression members are Phoenix columns, a patented wrought iron column made by the Phoenix Bridge Company, and the form states it is the only one of fourteen Pratt through trusses in the group built with this member type. It is also one of only four trusses in the group located in southeastern 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 88000864, listed June 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Fagleysville Rd. over Swamp Creek, Fagleysville |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | June 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000864 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1888 |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Structure closed to traffic |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.27454, -75.48492 (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 88000864.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4966380
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.