Adams Avenue Bridge in Philadelphia
Why it's listed
Adams Avenue crosses Tacony Creek in Philadelphia on a three-span stone arch bridge, with main spans of 25 feet each and an overall length of 100 feet. The structure dates from 1901 according to the record, and its designer and builder are unknown. Its masonry is coursed, and the piers are pyramidal in shape. The arch section is recessed, a feature associated with some late nineteenth-century bridges in Montgomery County. The parapet walls use much smaller stones than the spandrel walls and are capped with a course of unfinished, projecting stones, a detail more often seen on 19th-century bridges. The bridge is regarded as an unusual combination of these features, which the nomination finds unique among the Pennsylvania bridges it considers. The bridge has been altered, and its masonry has been repaired. Its significance rests on its engineering design and construction.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is an unusual stylistic composite of masonry features found individually on other Pennsylvania bridges. It combines a recessed arch, pyramidal piers, smaller parapet stones than the spandrel walls, and projecting unfinished parapet caps more typical of 19th-century bridges. The form states this combination is unique among the nominated bridges, and the area of significance is engineering.
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 88000851, listed June 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Adams Ave. over Tacony Creek, Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | June 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000851 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Altered; masonry repaired |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.04207, -75.11285 (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 88000851.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4680294
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.