Brown, Gottlieb, Covered Bridge
Also known as: Sam Wagner Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Built in 1881 by George W. Keefer over Chillisquaque Creek near the former Gottlieb Brown Farm in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, this single-span covered timber bridge carries a local road on a multiple kingpost truss with a double Burr arch. The clear span is 74 feet 9 inches between stone masonry abutments, with a total length of 86 feet 8 inches and a roadway about 14 feet wide inside the structure. Its floor is laid with three-inch transverse planks, and the vertical clearance under the timber portal is 13 feet. The total cost was reported as $939. The Burr arch design, patented in 1817 by Theodore Burr, was widely used for many years. The bridge is one of seven covered bridges in the county that are grouped together as a thematic resource. Reviewers regarded the group as among the rare survivors of pre-1930 covered bridges in the county and as representative of 19th-century wood bridge construction and transportation networks. The bridge is also known as Sam Wagner Covered Bridge.
Significance in brief: The form presents the bridge as one of seven surviving covered bridges in Northumberland County that illustrate 19th-century wood bridge technology. It combines a multiple kingpost truss with a double Burr arch, a combined design patented in 1817 by Theodore Burr that was very popular for many years.
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 79002311, listed August 8, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | E of Potts Grove on T 594, East Chillisquauque/Liberty Townships, Potts Grove |
|---|---|
| County | Northumberland County |
| Listed | August 8, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002311 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1881 |
| Architect / builder | George W. Keefer (builder) |
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition given as Overall, Fair Condition; load limit 3 tons. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.00188, -76.77369 (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 79002311.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5588055
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.