Shaffer's Bridge
Why it's listed
Shaffer's Bridge is a covered Burr arch truss bridge that crosses Ben's Creek in Conemaugh Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, about 2 miles north of Thomas Mills and reached along Township Road 634. The structure dates to 1877 and is owned by Somerset County. Its builder is not recorded. The bridge has a 68-foot, 2-inch end post length, a deck width of 13 feet, 2 inches, and a clearance of 11 feet. It carries a 3-ton load limit and has a timber deck. A gable roof covered with wooden shingles shelters the span. Vertical plank siding on the side walls reaches only to the top of the arch, about halfway up. The bridge is in good condition. It is one of the covered bridges in Somerset County and is recognized for its surviving historic form and construction.
Significance in brief: The document describes the bridge as a low Burr arch truss with a gable roof covered in wooden shingles and vertical plank side walls. It is listed as part of the county's covered bridges group. The text provided does not state the specific significance argument in detail.
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 80003637, listed December 10, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence low).
Key facts
| Address | W of Tire Hill on T 634, Conemaugh Township, Tire Hill |
|---|---|
| County | Somerset County |
| Listed | December 10, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003637 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architectural style | Burr arch truss |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition given as good. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 40.28122, -78.96408 (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 80003637.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7461010
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.