Dellville Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Built in 1889 by Andrew Clouser, this covered bridge crosses Shermans Creek in Wheatfield Township, Perry County, Pennsylvania. It uses a Burr truss system and measures 174 feet along its end posts and 20 feet in width, with a clearance of 11 feet 10 inches. The bridge was constructed in response to a flood that year, and an earlier bridge at the site is recorded as dating to 1836. It was originally known as Billows Bridge and carries a roadway of two-inch by sixteen-foot planking. A concrete center pier was added in 1932, and two 36-inch steel I-beams were installed in 1957 to strengthen it. The bridge was reviewed alongside other covered bridges in Adams, Cumberland and Perry counties, and it was judged to be eligible for the register. Its inclusion was discussed because it no longer crosses over water, a point the reviewers questioned.
Significance in brief: The bridge was built in 1889 after a flood, and it was originally known as Billows Bridge. The form lists it as part of a group of Perry County covered bridges considered in a thematic nomination. The document notes its construction followed an earlier bridge dated 1836.
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 80003593, listed August 25, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence low).
Key facts
| Address | T 456, Wheatfield Township, Dellville |
|---|---|
| County | Perry County |
| Listed | August 25, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003593 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architect / builder | Andrew Clouser (builder) |
| Architectural style | Burr truss |
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Reinforced with a concrete center pier in 1932 and with two 36-inch steel I-beams in 1957. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 40.36365, -77.11628 (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 80003593.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5254227
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.