Williams Bridge Explained

Williams Bridge
Nrhp Type:nrhp
Nearest City:Southwest of Williams on County Road 11, Spice Valley Township, Lawrence County, Indiana
Coordinates:38.7969°N -86.6647°W
Built:1884
Architect:Joseph J. Daniels
Architecture:Howe Truss
Added:November 9, 1981
Refnum:81000018

The Williams Bridge is a historic wooden covered bridge built in 1884, located in southern Indiana.

Location

The Williams Bridge is situated in Spice Valley Township in Lawrence County, Indiana, spanning the East Fork of the White River on Huron and Williams Road, south of State Road 450. It is located near the unincorporated town of Williams, approximately two miles downriver from the Williams Dam and eight miles southwest of Bedford.

Construction

The bridge features a Howe Truss design and was constructed in 1884 by Joseph 'J.J.' Daniels. It consists of two spans totalling 373feet in length, with a deck width of 14.7feet and a vertical clearance of 19.2feet above the deck.[1]

History

In 1981, the bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. At the time, it was the longest covered bridge in Indiana still open to vehicular traffic. However, the bridge was closed to traffic on September 20, 2010.[2] Although the Medora Bridge in Jackson County, at 434feet, remains the longest covered bridge in the state, it has been closed to all but pedestrian traffic since 1972.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD) . 2016-05-01 . Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology . Searchable database. Note: This includes Web site: Warren T. Hobson . October 1980 . National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Williams Bridge . 2016-05-01. and Accompanying photographs.
  2. Web site: User. TMNews.com. TMNews.com.