Beechdale Bridge
Also known as: Burkholder Bridge
Why it's listed
A short covered bridge carrying T548 over Buffalo Creek about five miles southwest of Berlin in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, dates from 1870 and has a Burr truss. Its builder is unknown. The bridge is 52 feet long and 12 feet wide, with a clearance of 9 feet 6 inches and a load limit of 3 tons. Its truss is unusual in that the arch is very shallow, and low vertical plank side walls leave much of the trussing open to view. A tin-covered gable roof shelters the structure. It is one of several covered bridges in Somerset County that were documented together as a group. The bridge is in good condition and continues to show the construction methods of its period.
Significance in brief: The document describes it as a short Burr truss bridge with a very shallow burr arch and low vertical plank side walls that leave much of the trussing open to view. Its gable roof is tin covered. The form is part of the Covered Bridges of Somerset County multiple property listing. The OCR text does not clearly state the specific criteria argument.
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 80003628, listed December 10, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence low).
Key facts
| Address | SW of Berlin off US 219, Brothersvalley Township, Berlin |
|---|---|
| County | Somerset County |
| Listed | December 10, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003628 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1870 |
| Architectural style | Burr truss |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 39.88173, -79.03441 (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 80003628.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4879626
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.