Rishel Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Spanning Chillisquaque Creek east of Montandon in Northumberland County, this single-span covered timber bridge carries local traffic over a clear span of roughly 91 to 94 feet between stone masonry abutments. Its truss combines a Burr arch with kingpost members, a form that Theodore Burr patented in 1817 and that was widely built in the region for longer spans. The bridge is credited to John Shriner, Jr. and Zacheus Braley. Its arch sits higher than is usual beneath the stringers, probably because of low clearance and the need to protect it from floating debris in floods. The bridge has survived many floods and still carries passenger cars daily, though it is not capable of carrying large trucks. Its overall condition is fair, with the structure bowing and leaning upstream. It is regarded as significant mainly for its age and for its surviving early Burr arch construction.
Significance in brief: The bridge combines a Burr arch with a multiple kingpost truss, a type patented by Theodore Burr in 1817 and widely used in the region for longer spans. The nomination argues it may be the oldest covered wooden bridge in the United States and the oldest example of an important timber truss design. It has survived many floods and still carries passenger vehicles.
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 79002310, listed August 8, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence low).
Key facts
| Address | E of Montandon on T 573, East/West Chillisquaque Townships, Montandon |
|---|---|
| County | Northumberland County |
| Listed | August 8, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002310 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architect / builder | John Shriner, Jr. and Zacheus Braley (builders) |
| Architectural style | Burr arch truss |
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Overall fair condition; bowing and leaning upstream but still serviceable and used daily by passenger vehicles. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 40.96024, -76.81571 (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 79002310.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7336025
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.