Ralston Freeman Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Built in 1915, the Ralston Freeman Covered Bridge carries a local road across Aunt Clara's Fork of King's Creek in Hanover Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, near Burgettstown. It is a kingpost truss bridge with a 28-foot end post length, a road surface 12 feet wide, vertical wood siding and a gable roof. Its construction follows a wood truss type that was once common across the region, and the bridge is cited for its simple truss design and the local features in its construction. It is one of a group of covered bridges in Washington and Greene Counties that together show how wood bridge building was carried out in these rural areas. The bridge was listed for its value as an example of vernacular wood architecture and engineering in the two-county group, and it is noted in the group's records as one of the examples that illustrate this type of construction clearly.
Significance in brief: The nomination treats the bridge as one of the important examples of vernacular wood architecture and wood bridge technology in the two counties. It belongs to a group of bridges regarded as embodying the characteristics of a common wood truss type, with local design features. The bridge has a 28-foot end post length, a 12-foot road width and vertical siding with a gable roof.
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 79003827, listed June 22, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N of Paris crossing Aunt Clara'a Fork of King's Creek, Hanover Township, Paris |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | June 22, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003827 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1915 |
| Architectural style | Kingpost truss |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as fair in the survey data for a neighbouring bridge only; the bridge's own current status is not stated. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 40.44691, -80.50700 (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 79003827.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7288362
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.