Erskine Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Built in 1845 by William Gordon, the Erskine Covered Bridge is a queenpost truss bridge spanning Middle Wheeling Creek in Washington County, Pennsylvania. It measures 39 feet 6 inches end post to end post, with a road surface 11 feet 8 inches wide. The structure has vertical board siding, a tin-covered gable roof, and two square-cut windows in each side wall. Its construction shows the common wood truss technology of the period, which was once widespread in Pennsylvania. Because the surviving covered bridges in these rural counties are relatively numerous, the group is regarded as a meaningful record of local bridge building. The Erskine bridge is recorded in good condition and is one of several covered bridges in the nomination that illustrate the simple truss types and local design features of the region.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes the bridge as an important example of vernacular wood truss bridge technology. The form states that the bridges in these rural counties illustrate the type's construction technology through the simplicity of the truss types and certain local design features. The document notes the bridges attest to the special character of these rural 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 79002359, listed June 22, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Spans Middle Wheeling Creek, West Alexander |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | June 22, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002359 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1845 |
| Architect / builder | William Gordon (builder) |
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition recorded as good |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 40.06639, -80.51621 (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 79002359.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5395827
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.