[2] The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

It is named for James Atherton, one of the signers of the petition for incorporation of the town in 1652.

The 1794 map lists the bridge as 90 feet long on a county way Lancaster’s first iron bridge was placed here in 1870.The Atherton Bridge has iron compression posts that incline inward towards the center of the span and diagonal tension rods that incline outward towards the abutments.

Unusual features include double end posts with adjustable turnbuckles, channeled castings to join the lower chord bars, and patented Phoenix columns for all inclined posts.

This bridge does not make use of Simeon Post's patented joints.