Hassenplug Bridge
Why it's listed
Covered bridge spanning Buffalo Creek just north of Mifflinburg in Union County, Pennsylvania, with an 80-foot span and a 16-foot roadway. It has a Burr-type truss built of spliced white pine and is known locally as the Hassenplug Bridge after a family of brewers and farmers who lived on the creek at the site. The original bridge is dated to 1825. In 1959 the Union County Commissioners overhauled it, replacing the wooden floor with an iron grill, renewing the siding and installing gutters and downspouts, and the contractors named for that work were Kauffman, Naugle and Sheridan. A central pier and steel underpinning were added to support heavy traffic. The bridge sits at a bend in the creek and has long attracted artists. It is one of two surviving covered bridges on Buffalo Creek, and its Burr truss design and long service as a crossing are the main reasons it was recognized for architectural and transportation significance.
Significance in brief: The bridge is significant for its architecture and transportation history as a covered Burr truss bridge. The document notes its long association with the Hassenplug family, who were brewers and farmers at the creek, and that it has been the subject of artists for many years. It is described as one of two remaining covered bridges on Buffalo Creek.
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 80003641, listed February 8, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N. 4th St., Mifflinburg |
|---|---|
| County | Union County |
| Listed | February 8, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003641 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Burr truss |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Original covered bridge dates to 1825; overhauled by the County Commissioners in 1959 with a steel-underpinned central pier and iron grill floor; wood covering in good condition and well painted; carries heavy traffic. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 40.92366, -77.04961 (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 80003641.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5680035
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.