Pithole Stone Arch
Why it's listed
Built in 1897 over Pithole Creek in rural Venango County, the Pithole Stone Arch is a single-span vehicular bridge of coursed ashlar masonry. Its span is 34 feet, and the carriageway rests directly on the arch ring, which makes the structure look flatter than most stone arches of its era. Builder R.A. Bigley used large, dressed stones for the arch ring, spandrel walls and wingwalls, and the bridge has a projecting stone course in place of a parapet. The nomination identifies the shallow profile as the main reason for its importance. A low rise-to-span ratio produces strong horizontal thrust, which required massive abutments and created risk of settlement, so few bridges of this form were built. The nomination also treats the workmanship as unusually good for a rural road. The downstream metal railing replaces an earlier railing, and a wingwall was replaced in 1974.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is a very fine example of a late nineteenth century stone arch bridge with high quality craftsmanship. Its arch is unusually shallow, a low rise-span form that was not commonly built because it produces greater horizontal thrust. The nomination notes the design avoids stone parapet walls to reduce dead load, with a projecting stone course capping the arch instead.
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 88000869, listed June 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | LR 60046 over Pithole Creek, Oleopolis |
|---|---|
| County | Venango County |
| Listed | June 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000869 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1897 |
| Architect / builder | R.A. Bigley (builder) |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Replaced wingwall in 1974; the form records the bridge as altered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.48697, -79.59529 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 88000869.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7198946
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.