Mansfield Covered Bridge | |||||||||||
Official Name: | Mansfield Covered Bridge | ||||||||||
Coordinates: | 39.6756°N -87.1018°W | ||||||||||
Locale: | Mansfield, Indiana, Parke, Indiana, United States | ||||||||||
Carries: | Martin Road (C.R. 145) | ||||||||||
Crosses: | Big Raccoon Creek | ||||||||||
Id Type: | NBI Number | ||||||||||
Id: | 6100089[1] | ||||||||||
Design: | National Register of Historic Places | ||||||||||
Length: | 279feet247ft +16ft overhangs on each end | ||||||||||
Width: | 16feet | ||||||||||
Height: | 14feet | ||||||||||
Load: | 10 tons | ||||||||||
Built: | September 4, 1867 | ||||||||||
Rebuilt: | 1990 | ||||||||||
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The Mansfield Covered Bridge is a Double Burr Arch double span truss bridge located on Mansfield Road (historic) and Big Raccoon Creek in Mansfield southeast of Rockville in Parke County, Indiana. Built by Joseph J. Daniels in 1867 at a cost of $12,200. At it is the second longest covered bridge left in Parke County. This Historic Site rest on land provided by Indiana DNR, of Parke County, Indiana and is open to the public all year.[2] [3]
Built for a time during which only wagons, horses and pedestrians used the bridge, the Mansfield Bridge has a load limit. The bridge had been used for State Route 59 and in one recorded story, three loaded oil trucks approached the bridge together. The first truck stalled out just before leaving the bridge, and all three trucks came to a stop on the two spans. There was no apparent damage to the strong structure. The arches combined with the truss are able to support more weight than needed so the limit is in the decking and material used for it.[4]
Mansfield Bridge was closed in 1980 for repair to the abutments, roof and decking. The roof and decks were replaced again in October 1990 by the Parke County Highway Department.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
The Mansfield Covered Bridge
Detail of Burr Arches and double span are visible because of the sunlight coming through the missing roof after 2006 stormImage:Burr Truss (2 span) P4230125 Mansfield CB (Parke Cty).jpg | Close-up of Double Burr Arches with roof missing after 2006 stormImage:Mansfield CB (Parke Cty).jpg | Roof restoration has begun after a spring 2006 storm removed over 50% of the roof |