Sonestown Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Built about 1850 across Muncy Creek in Davidson Township, Sullivan County, the Sonestown Covered Bridge is a Burr arch truss structure 99 feet long and 15 feet wide, with a posted load limit of 3 tons. It was constructed to give access to a gristmill operated by Johnny Hazen, and it stands on its original site. Its vertical plank siding is left open near the eaves to admit light, and the floor is laid with wide planks running across the span, with planks laid lengthwise to form wheel tracks. It is one of only three covered bridges still standing in Sullivan County. The bridge was nominated together with other Burr arch covered bridges in Sullivan and Lycoming counties, a group that shows how this bridge type was built across the region in the mid-nineteenth century. Its surviving construction and original setting are the basis for its listing.
Significance in brief: The bridge was built to reach a gristmill owned by Johnny Hazen, and it is one of only three covered bridges left in the county. Its vertical plank siding left open near the eaves to admit light and its wide widthwise flooring with lengthwise wheel-track planks are described as distinguishing features. The nomination was made as part of a group of Burr arch covered bridges in Sullivan and Lycoming counties.
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 80003640, listed July 24, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S of Sonestown on T 310, Davidson Township, Sonestown |
|---|---|
| County | Sullivan County |
| Listed | July 24, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003640 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | c. 1850 |
| Architectural style | Burr arch truss |
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.34642, -76.55495 (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 80003640.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7560945
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.