New Germantown Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Built in 1891 by John W. Fry over Shermans Creek in Jackson Township, Perry County, Pennsylvania, the New Germantown Covered Bridge is a timber structure with a King and Queen post truss system. It spans about 74 feet and carries a 12-foot roadway, with a clearance of 13 feet 2 inches. Its distinguishing features include planking of two-inch by sixteen-foot boards laid lengthwise and very high, rafter-level Queen post trusses. Perry County owns the bridge. It was nominated as one of a group of covered bridges in Adams, Cumberland and Perry Counties, which together represent the surviving examples of this bridge type in the region. Reviewers confirmed that its boundaries were adequate and that the effects of later repairs and strengthening did not undermine its integrity. The bridge is significant as a surviving example of nineteenth-century covered bridge construction in central Pennsylvania.
Significance in brief: The form describes it as a Queen post truss covered bridge with planking laid lengthwise and a 12-foot roadway. It was evaluated as part of a multiple property group of covered bridges in Adams, Cumberland and Perry Counties. Reviewers noted that its boundaries and integrity were judged sufficient after repairs and strengthening with I-beams.
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 80003600, listed August 25, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence low).
Key facts
| Address | S of New Germantown on T 302, Jackson Township, New Germantown |
|---|---|
| County | Perry County |
| Listed | August 25, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003600 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architect / builder | John W. Fry (builder) |
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 40.30666, -77.56797 (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 80003600.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15262049
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.