Deer Creek Bridge, Stewartstown Railroad
Why it's listed
A steel girder railroad bridge over Deer Creek, on the border between Hopewell and Shrewsbury Townships in York County, Pennsylvania, built around 1895 by the Stewartstown Railroad Company. Two sets of double riveted I-beams rest on stone abutments that also act as retaining walls for the railroad grade. The bridge is 34 1/2 feet long and 9 feet wide, with notched wooden ties and rails fastened on top. Riveted girders, assembled from several separate pieces, were a construction method that preceded rolled one-piece girders, and few bridges in York County use them. The abutments may date to an earlier bridge built around 1885, so the structure may reflect two periods of railroad construction. The railroad carried freight from merchants east of New Freedom Borough to its connection with the Northern Central Railway. Its simple, inexpensive design reflects the limited capital of a small line. The bridge remains in good condition and continues to carry freight and excursion trains.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is significant for its riveted steel girders, a construction method that preceded rolled one-piece girders, and for reflecting the economical engineering of a small railroad serving local merchants. It is described as one of three girder bridges built by the railroad, and its stone abutments may survive from an earlier bridge of 1885.
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 95000544, listed May 4, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Stewartstown RR tracks over Deer Cr. at Deer Creek Rd., Shrewsbury and Hopewell Townships, Shrewsbury |
|---|---|
| County | York County |
| Listed | May 4, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000544 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | c. 1895 - 1940 |
| Architect / builder | Stewartstown Railroad Company (builder) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use today and in good condition; the only visible problem is cracking and loosening of mortar joints in the abutments. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.75839, -76.64822 (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 95000544.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5250711
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.