Holme Avenue Bridge
Why it's listed
Holme Avenue Bridge is a reinforced concrete arch bridge in Philadelphia, completed in 1921 with a single main arch span of 80 feet. The structure was built by C.P. Boner and carries vehicular traffic over Wooden Bridge Run in the Frankford area. Its design reflects a period when engineers working in cities and parks often faced bare concrete with decorative treatments. Here the spandrel and abutment walls are rusticated to suggest masonry, the parapets are molded, and the surfaces show a light exposure of aggregate. Slightly green concrete, stripped from its forms before full curing, could be washed and brushed to reveal the stone-like texture. The bridge is recognized as a good local example of this approach to finishing concrete. It is one of several embellished concrete arches built in Philadelphia in the same era, and it remains essentially unaltered. The nominated area covers the superstructure and substructure within the wing walls, and is less than one acre.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is a good example of an urban concrete bridge whose surfaces were embellished to imitate stone. It cites rusticated spandrel and abutment walls, molded parapets and mildly exposed aggregate finishes as features typical of the period's efforts to relieve the stark appearance of concrete. It is grouped with several other embellished concrete arches built in Philadelphia.
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 88000806, listed June 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Holme Ave. over Wooden Bridge Run, Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | June 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000806 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1921 |
| Architect / builder | C.P. Boner (builder/contractor) |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.05645, -75.02306 (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 88000806.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15224562
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.