List of covered bridges in Indiana explained

This is a list of Indiana covered bridges. There are 98 historic wooden covered bridges in the U.S. state of Indiana. Fourteen of these were built before 1870 and represent the most common truss styles (Burr Arch) in Indiana.

Parke County bills itself as the covered bridge capital of the world.[1] Combined with six counties that surround it, there are 51 of Indiana’s 98 covered bridges in this small area: Parke County (32), Putnam County (9), Fountain County (3), Vermillion County (3), Montgomery County (2), Owen County (1) and Vigo County (1). The majority, 54, are Burr Arch truss designs, while the next most common truss style is a Howe truss with 23.

One each of the older style King Post and Queen Post are located in the western part of the state; Philips Bridge, west of Rockville in Parke County and Irishman Bridge, south of Terre Haute in Vigo County, respectively.[2] Indiana also has examples of the Long Truss and the Smith Type IV Truss. The remaining span of the Bell Ford Bridge, northwest of Seymour in Jackson County, collapsed in January 2006. It was the last standing example of a Post Truss covered bridge in the world.

List of covered bridges

Extant

Nameclass=unsortableImageLocation
Year builtLengthCrossesDesignHistorical notes
Adams Mill Bridge Cutler, Carroll County1872138feetWildcat CreekHowe truss
Baker's Camp Bridge Bainbridge, Putnam County1901128feetBig Walnut CreekBurr Arch
Beanblossom Bridge Beanblossom, Brown County188060feetBeanblossom CreekHowe trussAppears to actually be a Pratt Truss.
Beeson Bridge Billie Creek Village, Rockville, Parke County190655feetBurr Arch
Big Rocky Fork Bridge Mansfield, Parke County190072feetBig Rocky Fork CreekBurr Arch
Billie Creek Bridge Billie Creek Village, Rockville, Parke County189562feetBurr ArchMoved to serve as the entrance to Billie Creek Village.
Bowsher Ford Bridge Tangier, Parke County191572feetMill CreekBurr Arch
Bridgeton Bridge (new) Bridgeton, Parke County2006245feetBig Raccoon CreekBurr ArchReplaced original bridge that was destroyed by fire in 2005 with reconstruction completed in October 2006.
Busching Bridge Versailles, Ripley County1885176feetLaugher CreekHowe trussLocated at Versailles State Park.
Cades Mill Bridge Steam Corner, Fountain County1854150feetCoal CreekHowe trussOldest bridge in the state
Cataract Covered Bridge Cataract, Owen County1876140feetMill CreekSmith Type IV Truss
Catlin Bridge Rockville, Parke County190754feetBill Diddle CreekBurr Arch
Cedar Ford Bridge[3] Bean Blossom, Monroe County2019127feetBeanblossom CreekBurr Arch
Ceylon Bridge Ceylon, Adams County1879126feetWabash RiverHowe truss
Conley’s Ford Bridge Mansfield, Parke County1907192feetBig Raccoon CreekBurr Arch
Cornstalk Bridge Raccoon, Putnam County191782feetCornstalk CreekBurr Arch
Cox Ford Bridge Annapolis, Parke County1913176feetSugar CreekBurr ArchLocated at the west side of Turkey Run State Park.
Crooks Bridge Rockville, Parke County1856132feetLittle Raccoon CreekBurr ArchSecond oldest bridge in the state
Crown Point Bridge Crown Point, Lake County187885feetGullyBurr ArchMoved to Lake County Fairgrounds in 1933 from Milroy in Rush County over the Little Flatrock River.
Cumberland Bridge Matthews, Grant County1877175feetMississinewa RiverHowe truss
Darlington Bridge Darlington, Montgomery County1868140feetSugar CreekHowe trussFourth oldest covered bridge in the state and has a unique wooden block floor that spans its length as shown in the picture.
Deer's Mills Bridge Deer's Mill, Montgomery County1878275feetSugar CreekBurr ArchLocated in Shades State Park.
Dick Huffman Bridge Reelsville, Putnam County1880265feetBig Walnut RiverHowe trussLongest Howe Truss bridge in the state
Dunbar Bridge Greencastle, Putnam County1880174feetBig Walnut CreekBurr ArchTwo spans
Edna Collins Bridge Clinton Falls, Putnam County192280feetLittle Walnut CreekBurr ArchLocal legends claim this bridge is haunted.[4]
Eugene Bridge Eugene, Vermillion County1885192feetVermillion RiverBurr Arch
Forsythe Mill Bridge Gowdy, Rush County1888196feetBig Flat Rock RiverBurr ArchBuilt by Emmett L. Kennedy
Guilford Bridge Guilford, Dearborn County1879104feetBurr Arch
Harry Evans Bridge Coxville, Parke County190865feetRock Run CreekBurr Arch
Hillsdale Bridge Dana, Vermillion County1876104feetBurr Arch
Holton Bridge Holton, Ripley County1884112feetOtter CreekHowe truss
Houck Bridge Manhattan, Putnam County1880[5] 210feetBig Walnut CreekHowe trussLocated at 39.5822°N -86.9394°W,[6] it is one of the longest Howe Truss bridges in the state.[7] The status of its name is unofficial.[8]
Huffman's Mill Bridge Huffman, Spencer County1884140feetAnderson RiverBurr Arch
Irishman Bridge Youngstown, Vigo County75feetFowler Lake, branch of Honey CreekQueen PostSecond oldest and only remaining Queen Post covered bridge in the state
Jackson Bridge Annapolis, Parke County1861207feetSugar CreekBurr ArchFifth oldest and longest single span covered bridge in the state
James Bridge Lovett, Jennings County1887124feetBig Graham CreekHowe truss
Jeffries Ford Bridge Bridgeton, Parke County1915204feetBig Raccoon CreekBurr Arch
Lancaster Bridge Owasco, Carroll County1872133feetWildcat CreekHowe truss
Leatherwood Station Bridge Billie Creek Village, Rockville, Parke County189972feetBurr ArchLocated at Billie Creek Village.
Longwood Bridge Connersville, Fayette County188492feetBurr Arch
Mansfield Bridge Mansfield, Parke County1867247feetBig Raccoon CreekBurr ArchThree spans, central roof was torn off by winds in the spring of 2006 and restored in 2007.
Marshall Bridge Tangier, Parke County191756feetRush CreekBurr Arch
McAllister Bridge Catlin, Parke County1914126feetLittle Raccoon CreekBurr Arch
Mecca Bridge Mecca, Parke County1873150feetBig Raccoon CreekBurr Arch
Medora Bridge Medora, Jackson County1875434feetEast Fork, White RiverBurr ArchThree spans, longest covered bridge in the state and, by clear span, is sometimes claimed to be the longest historic covered bridge in the U.S. Closed to all but pedestrian traffic since 1972, and is currently undergoing restoration.
Melcher Bridge Montezuma, Parke County189683feetLeatherwood CreekBurr Arch
Mill Creek Bridge Tangier, Parke County190792feetMill CreekBurr Arch
Moscow Bridge Moscow, Rush County1886 (rebuilt 2010)334feetBig Flat Rock RiverBurr ArchTwo spans, third longest covered bridge in the state; destroyed by a tornado in 2008, it has since been rebuilt.
Narrows Bridge Marshall, Parke County1882121feetSugar CreekBurr ArchLocated on the east boundary of Turkey Run State Park.
Neet Bridge Catlin, Parke County1904126feetLittle Raccoon CreekBurr Arch
Nevins Bridge Catlin, Parke County1920155feetLittle Raccoon CreekBurr Arch
New Brownsville Bridge Columbus, Bartholomew County184093feetMill Run CreekLong TrussMoved from Brownsville in Union County over the Whitewater River.
Newport Bridge Newport, Vermillion County1885180feetLittle Vermillion RiverBurr Arch
Norris Ford Bridge Rushville, Rush County1916169feetBig Flat Rock RiverBurr Arch
North Manchester Bridge North Manchester, Wabash County1872150feetEel RiverSmith Type IV Truss
Oakalla Bridge Greencastle, Putnam County1875152feetBig Walnut CreekBurr Arch
Old Red Bridge Hickory Ridge, Gibson County1875170feetBig Bayou CreekSmith Type IV Truss
Pine Bluff Bridge Carpentersville, Putnam County1915211feetBig Walnut CreekHowe truss
Phillips Bridge Montezuma, Parke County190943feetBig Pond CreekKing PostShortest covered bridge in the state
Portland Mills Bridge Guion, Parke County1856130feetLittle Raccoon CreekBurr ArchTied with Crooks Bridge as the fourth oldest covered bridge in the state.
Potter's Covered Bridge Noblesville, Hamilton County1871259feetWest Fork, White RiverHowe truss
Ramp Creek Bridge Nashville, Brown County183896feetSalt CreekDouble Barreled Burr ArchOldest and only two-lane covered bridge in the state; located at the entrance to Brown County State Park.
Richland Creek Bridge Bloomfield, Greene County1883100feetRichland CreekBurr ArchBuilt by A.M. Kennedy and Sons
Roann Bridge Roann, Wabash County1872288feetEel RiverHowe truss
Rob Roy Bridge Rob Roy, Fountain County1860120feetBig Shawnee CreekHowe truss
Rolling Stone Bridge Bainbridge, Putnam County1915103feetBig Walnut CreekBurr Arch
Roseville-Coxville Bridge Coxville, Parke County1910263feetBig Raccoon CreekBurr Arch
Rush Creek Bridge Tangier, Parke County190477feetRush CreekBurr Arch
Salem Crossing BridgeZionsville, Boone County1972?Fishback CreekHowe truss
Sanatorium Bridge Rockville, Parke County1913154feetLittle Raccoon CreekBurr Arch
Scipio Bridge Scipio, Jennings County1886146feetSand CreekHowe truss
Shieldstown Bridge Shields, Jackson County1876331feetEast Fork, White RiverBurr Arch
Sim Smith Bridge Montezuma, Parke County188384feetLeatherwood CreekBurr Arch
Smith Bridge Rushville, Rush County1877138feetBig Flat Rock RiverBurr Arch
Snow Hill Bridge Rockdale, Franklin County189475feetJohnson Fork, Whitewater RiverHowe truss
South Hill Bridge Universal, Vermillion County1879122feetBrouilletts CreekBurr Arch
Spencerville Covered Bridge Spencerville, DeKalb County1873160feetSt. Joseph RiverHowe truss
Stockheughter Bridge Enochsburg, Franklin County188792feetSalt CreekHowe truss
Thorpe Ford Bridge Rosedale, Parke County1912163feetBig Raccoon CreekBurr Arch
Traders Point Bridge Indianapolis, Marion County188089feetFishback CreekHowe truss
Vermont Bridge Kokomo, Howard County187598feetKokomo CreekSmith Type IV TrussMoved from its original location to Highland Park in Kokomo.
Wallace Bridge Wallace, Fountain County187181feetSugar Mill CreekHowe truss
West Union Bridge West Union, Parke County1876315feetSugar CreekBurr Arch
Westport Bridge Westport, Decatur County1880115feetSand CreekBurr Arch
Wheeling Bridge Wheeling, Gibson County1877164feetPatoka RiverSmith Type IV Truss
White Water Canal Aqueduct Bridge Metamora, Franklin County184681feetDuck CreekBurr ArchLocated on the east side of Metamora.
Wilkins Mill Bridge Annapolis, Parke County1906102feetSugar Mill CreekBurr Arch
Williams Bridge Williams, Lawrence County1884373feetEast Fork, White RiverHowe trussTwo spans, second longest covered bridge in the state
Zacke Cox Bridge Coxville, Parke County190854feetRock Run CreekBurr Arch

Nonextant

Nameclass=unsortableImageLocation
Year builtLengthCrossesDesignHistorical notes
Bell Ford Bridge Seymour, Jackson County1869330feetEast Fork, White RiverPost TrussWestern span collapsed in 1999, while the remaining eastern span collapsed in 2006. It was the fourth longest and fifth oldest covered bridge in the state.
Bridgeton Bridge (old) Bridgeton, Parke County1868245feetBig Raccoon CreekBurr ArchDestroyed by fire in April 2005.
Clinton Bridge Clinton, Vermillion County1852735feetWabash RiverFour spans, removed in 1899

Notes

See also

References

  1. http://www.parkecountychamber.com/ Parke County Chamber of Commerce
  2. Indiana Atlas & Gazetteer, DeLorme Publishing; 3rd edition (2004), pg 9
  3. Book: Caswell . William S. . World Guide to Covered Bridges . National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges . Concord, New Hampshire . 978-0-578-30263-8 . 2021 . 13-30.
  4. http://www.coveredbridgecountry.com/ Putnam County Convention & Visitors Bureau
  5. Web site: Historic Indiana bridge targeted by vandals. February 28, 2015.
  6. Web site: Indiana Geographic Names. Geological Survey (U.S.) Branch of Geographic Names. July 10, 1981. U.S.G.S. Topographic Division, Office of Research & Technical Standards, National Center. Google Books.
  7. Indiana Gazetter and Atlas, Delorme Pub; Yarmouth, Maine
  8. Web site: The National Gazetteer of the United States of America--Indiana, 1988. July 10, 1988. U.S. Government Printing Office. Google Books.

External links