New Baltimore Bridge
Why it's listed
Built in 1879 over the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River in Allegheny Township, Somerset County, the New Baltimore Bridge is a covered timber bridge carrying a road across the stream near New Baltimore Borough. It uses a queenpost truss, a common form for covered bridges of its era. Its gable roof and full vertical planked side walls give it a closed, enclosed appearance, and its portals are similar in style to those of the Trostletown and Shaffer's bridges, linking it to a group of covered bridges in the county. The deck is timber, the roadway is 12 feet wide, and the clearance is 11 feet. The bridge carries a posted load limit of 3 tons. At the time of documentation, it was in good condition, though the northwest corner wing wall was pulling away from the approach. The bridge was documented as part of a multiple-property group of ten covered bridges in Somerset County, and it is recognized for its construction as a surviving example of regional timber bridge building.
Significance in brief: The nomination lists the bridge as one of the covered bridges of Somerset County documented together as a group. Its gable roof and full vertical planked side walls are noted as distinguishing features, and its portals are said to be similar in style to those of the Trostletown and Shaffer's bridges.
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 80003630, listed December 10, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence low).
Key facts
| Address | Off LR 55051, Allegheny Township, New Baltimore |
|---|---|
| County | Somerset County |
| Listed | December 10, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003630 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architectural style | Queenpost truss |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is given as good, except that the northwest corner wing wall is pulling away from the bridge approach. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 39.98698, -78.77211 (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 80003630.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7005420
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.