Keefer Station Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Built in 1888 by George W. Keefer near the farm of John G. Bright, this single-span covered timber bridge crosses Shamokin Creek east of Sunbury in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. It has a clear span of 93 feet 6 inches between stone masonry abutments and a total length of 109 feet, with a roadway width of 14 feet 1 inch. Its design combines a multiple kingpost truss with a two-member Burr arch running alongside the truss members, a form of combined arch and truss patented by Theodore Burr in 1817 and used mainly for longer spans. The bridge cost $882.00 to build. The county's covered bridges form a notable group with a full range of truss types and sizes from the nineteenth century, and this structure was one of the common types erected in the area. The floor is laid with longitudinal planks of varying widths, and the bridge was surveyed in fair condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the bridge as one of a fine collection of nineteenth-century covered bridges in Northumberland County, representing a full range of truss types and sizes. Its combined arch-and-truss design, a type patented by Theodore Burr in 1817, was especially used for longer spans and was the most common type of covered bridge erected in the area.
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 79002313, 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 Sunbury on T 698, Upper Augusta Township, Sunbury |
|---|---|
| County | Northumberland County |
| Listed | August 8, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002313 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1888 |
| Architect / builder | George W. Keefer (builder) |
| Architectural style | Multiple kingpost truss with double Burr arch |
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Overall condition is fair; the inventory form records the bridge as altered and moved. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 40.87059, -76.72331 (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 79002313.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6382700
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.