Swamp Creek Road Bridge
Why it's listed
Built in 1892 by Thomas M. Adams, the Swamp Creek Road Bridge is a multiple-span stone arch bridge crossing Swamp Creek in rural Marlboro Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, near the village of Sumneytown. It is 125 feet long and 25 feet wide, and its three arch spans are built of semi-coursed, roughly squared stone. The arches measure about 25 feet, which is small for a bridge of its date. The bridge is regarded as a typical example of nineteenth-century multiple-span stone highway construction. Its styling resembles earlier bridges built in Montgomery County, and its integrity is rated as excellent. Its significance is tied to engineering, and it is listed for its value as a representative example of the county's nineteenth-century multi-span stone arch bridges. A plaque on the bridge records the date of construction.
Significance in brief: The document describes the bridge as an example of a typical nineteenth-century multiple-span stone highway bridge, with roughly squared, semi-coursed stone construction. Its arch spans are relatively small for its construction date, but its styling is similar to earlier bridges in Montgomery County. The nomination regards its excellent integrity and stone construction as making it a fine representative of nineteenth-century multi-span stone arch bridges in the county.
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 88000860, listed June 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence low).
Key facts
| Address | Swamp Creek Rd. over Unami Creek, Sumneytown |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | June 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000860 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1892 |
| Architect / builder | Thomas M. Adams (builder/contractor) |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.33423, -75.44945 (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 88000860.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7653324
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.