Horsham-Montgomery Bridge
Why it's listed
Built in 1839, this stone highway bridge crosses Little Neshaminy Creek on Lower State Road, linking Horsham and Montgomery Townships in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It has two arches, each with a span of nineteen and one half feet, flanked by long approach walls. A small recession built into the masonry separates the arch spans from the rest of the bridge, visually emphasizing the arches. The design is regarded as peculiar to Montgomery County, where five stone arch bridges share it. The bridge is listed as one of ten stone bridges from the county that together show the long tradition of stone masonry bridge building in Pennsylvania, with construction dates from 1789 to 1910. Its engineering significance rests on this construction and its local variation. The east parapet has had extensive repair, and the nominated area is a rectangle of about 125 by 25 feet covering the bridge's superstructure and substructure.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is a good example of a nineteenth century stone highway bridge. Its arch spans are set off from the body of the bridge by a built-in recession, a feature described as peculiar to Montgomery County. It is one of ten stone bridges in the nomination from that county, which together 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 88000836, listed June 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Lower State Rd. over Little Neshaminy Creek, Fort Washington |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | June 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000836 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1839 |
| Architectural style | Stone masonry arch bridge |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Extensive repair to east parapet is noted; the form lists it as altered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.23774, -75.19147 (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 88000836.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5906338
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.