Ridge Avenue Bridge in Philadelphia
Why it's listed
Built in 1888, the Ridge Avenue Bridge in Philadelphia is a stone highway bridge that crosses Wissahickon Creek in a commercial and residential area of the city. Its three segmental arches, each about 30 feet long, are of red ashlar stone, with voussoirs dressed smoother than the spandrel stones. The arches spring from simply articulated piers, and the deck is topped with ornamental wrought iron railings. Parapet walls are very small, appearing only at the wing walls and abutments. The bridge was recognised for its engineering, as one of the best preserved and most finely constructed nineteenth-century multi-span stone bridges in Pennsylvania. A sidewalk was added to the south side and the bridge was widened in 1954. The nominated property is a rectangle of about 115 by 66 feet, covering only the bridge superstructure and substructure, and it is less than one acre.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes it as a handsome, very fine example of a late nineteenth-century stone highway bridge. It is said to be one of the best preserved and most finely constructed nineteenth-century multi-span stone bridges nominated in Pennsylvania. The area of significance given 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 88000852, listed June 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Ridge Ave. over Wissahickon Creek, Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | June 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000852 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Widened in 1954, with a sidewalk added to the south side; the form marks the resource as altered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Fairmount Park |
| Coordinates | 40.01482, -75.20679 (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 88000852.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7332677
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.