Blackford Bridge
Also known as: Pucketts Hole Bridge
Why it's listed
Spanning the Clinch River in Russell County, Virginia, this two-span steel Pratt through truss bridge runs more than 220 feet and carries a single lane. It was erected in 1889 by the Russell County Board of Supervisors at Blackford, replacing a ferry, using a truss manufactured by the Groton Bridge and Manufacturing Company of New York. The crossing connected farms to the railroad depot at Blackford and to the cattle and lumber center of Honaker, and later carried trucks serving coal, timber and barite operations. In 1946 the bridge was dismantled, barged downriver and re-erected at Pucketts Hole, where residents had previously had no bridge; the concrete pier and abutments date from that move. Historic metal truss bridges are increasingly rare, and in 1997 this was one of only eight in-service examples under state highway control built before 1890. A new bridge opened beside it in 2009, and the old structure is now closed to traffic.
Significance in brief: The bridge is an unusually old surviving metal truss with substantial integrity, built by the Groton Bridge and Manufacturing Company, and is possibly the oldest remaining bridge in VDOT's Bristol District. At Blackford it was a key local and regional transportation link, helping farmers and industries reach the railroad and the market town of Honaker. It qualifies under Criterion A (Transportation) and Criterion C (Engineering), with Criteria Consideration B for its relocation.
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 10000381, listed June 24, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Chestnut Rd (Rte 652), Lebanon |
|---|---|
| County | Russell County |
| Listed | June 24, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000381 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1889-1946 |
| Architect / builder | Groton Bridge and Manufacturing Company |
| Architectural style | Other: Pratt through truss |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Engineering |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Closed to traffic since summer 2009, when a new bridge was completed next to it; its future was undecided at the time of the form. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 36.96427, -82.01039 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 10000381.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15199601
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.