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
editExtant
editName[2] | Image | Location [2][A] |
Year built[2] | Length | Crosses | Design | Historical notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adams Mill Bridge | Cutler, Carroll County | 1872 | 138 feet (42 m) | Wildcat Creek | Howe truss | ||
Baker's Camp Bridge | Bainbridge, Putnam County | 1901 | 128 feet (39 m) | Big Walnut Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Beanblossom Bridge | Beanblossom, Brown County | 1880 | 60 feet (18 m) | Beanblossom Creek | Howe truss | Appears to actually be a Pratt Truss. | |
Beeson Bridge | Billie Creek Village, Rockville, Parke County | 1906 | 55 feet (17 m) | Burr Arch | |||
Big Rocky Fork Bridge | Mansfield, Parke County | 1900 | 72 feet (22 m) | Big Rocky Fork Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Billie Creek Bridge | Billie Creek Village, Rockville, Parke County | 1895 | 62 feet (19 m) | Burr Arch | Moved to serve as the entrance to Billie Creek Village. | ||
Bowsher Ford Bridge | Tangier, Parke County | 1915 | 72 feet (22 m) | Mill Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Bridgeton Bridge (new) | Bridgeton, Parke County | 2006 | 245 feet (75 m) | Big Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | Replaced original bridge that was destroyed by fire in 2005 with reconstruction completed in October 2006. | |
Busching Bridge | Versailles, Ripley County | 1885 | 176 feet (54 m) | Laugher Creek | Howe truss | Located at Versailles State Park. | |
Cades Mill Bridge | Steam Corner, Fountain County | 1854 | 150 feet (46 m) | Coal Creek | Howe truss | Oldest bridge in the state | |
Cataract Covered Bridge | Cataract, Owen County | 1876 | 140 feet (43 m) | Mill Creek | Smith Type IV Truss | ||
Catlin Bridge | Rockville, Parke County | 1907 | 54 feet (16 m) | Bill Diddle Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Cedar Ford Bridge[3] | Bean Blossom, Monroe County | 2019 | 127 feet (39 m) | Beanblossom Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Ceylon Bridge | Ceylon, Adams County | 1879 | 126 feet (38 m) | Wabash River | Howe truss | ||
Conley’s Ford Bridge | Mansfield, Parke County | 1907 | 192 feet (59 m) | Big Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Cornstalk Bridge | Raccoon, Putnam County | 1917 | 82 feet (25 m) | Cornstalk Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Cox Ford Bridge | Annapolis, Parke County | 1913 | 176 feet (54 m) | Sugar Creek | Burr Arch | Located at the west side of Turkey Run State Park. | |
Crooks Bridge | Rockville, Parke County | 1856 | 132 feet (40 m) | Little Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | Second oldest bridge in the state | |
Crown Point Bridge | Crown Point, Lake County | 1878 | 85 feet (26 m) | Gully | Burr Arch | Moved to Lake County Fairgrounds in 1933 from Milroy in Rush County over the Little Flatrock River. | |
Cumberland Bridge | Matthews, Grant County | 1877 | 175 feet (53 m) | Mississinewa River | Howe truss | ||
Darlington Bridge | Darlington, Montgomery County | 1868 | 140 feet (43 m) | Sugar Creek | Howe truss | Fourth 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 County | 1878 | 275 feet (84 m) | Sugar Creek | Burr Arch | Located in Shades State Park. | |
Dick Huffman Bridge | Reelsville, Putnam County | 1880 | 265 feet (81 m) | Big Walnut River | Howe truss | Longest Howe Truss bridge in the state | |
Dunbar Bridge | Greencastle, Putnam County | 1880 | 174 feet (53 m) | Big Walnut Creek | Burr Arch | Two spans | |
Edna Collins Bridge | Clinton Falls, Putnam County | 1922 | 80 feet (24 m) | Little Walnut Creek | Burr Arch | Local legends claim this bridge is haunted.[4] | |
Eugene Bridge | Eugene, Vermillion County | 1885 | 192 feet (59 m) | Vermillion River | Burr Arch | ||
Forsythe Mill Bridge | Gowdy, Rush County | 1888 | 196 feet (60 m) | Big Flat Rock River | Burr Arch | Built by Emmett L. Kennedy | |
Guilford Bridge | Guilford, Dearborn County | 1879 | 104 feet (32 m) | Burr Arch | |||
Harry Evans Bridge | Coxville, Parke County | 1908 | 65 feet (20 m) | Rock Run Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Hillsdale Bridge | Dana, Vermillion County | 1876 | 104 feet (32 m) | Burr Arch | |||
Holton Bridge | Holton, Ripley County | 1884 | 112 feet (34 m) | Otter Creek | Howe truss | ||
Houck Bridge | Manhattan, Putnam County | 1880[5] | 210 feet (64 m) | Big Walnut Creek | Howe truss | Located at 39°34′56″N 86°56′22″W / 39.58222°N 86.93944°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 County | 1884 | 140 feet (43 m) | Anderson River | Burr Arch | ||
Irishman Bridge | Youngstown, Vigo County | ca. 1847 | 75 feet (23 m) | Fowler Lake, branch of Honey Creek | Queen Post | Second oldest and only remaining Queen Post covered bridge in the state | |
Jackson Bridge | Annapolis, Parke County | 1861 | 207 feet (63 m) | Sugar Creek | Burr Arch | Fifth oldest and longest single span covered bridge in the state | |
James Bridge | Lovett, Jennings County | 1887 | 124 feet (38 m) | Big Graham Creek | Howe truss | ||
Jeffries Ford Bridge | Bridgeton, Parke County | 1915 | 204 feet (62 m) | Big Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Lancaster Bridge | Owasco, Carroll County | 1872 | 133 feet (41 m) | Wildcat Creek | Howe truss | ||
Leatherwood Station Bridge | Billie Creek Village, Rockville, Parke County | 1899 | 72 feet (22 m) | Burr Arch | Located at Billie Creek Village. | ||
Longwood Bridge | Connersville, Fayette County | 1884 | 92 feet (28 m) | Burr Arch | |||
Mansfield Bridge | Mansfield, Parke County | 1867 | 247 feet (75 m) | Big Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | Three spans, central roof was torn off by winds in the spring of 2006 and restored in 2007. | |
Marshall Bridge | Tangier, Parke County | 1917 | 56 feet (17 m) | Rush Creek | Burr Arch | ||
McAllister Bridge | Catlin, Parke County | 1914 | 126 feet (38 m) | Little Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Mecca Bridge | Mecca, Parke County | 1873 | 150 feet (46 m) | Big Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Medora Bridge | Medora, Jackson County | 1875 | 434 feet (132 m) | East Fork, White River | Burr Arch | Three 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 County | 1896 | 83 feet (25 m) | Leatherwood Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Mill Creek Bridge | Tangier, Parke County | 1907 | 92 feet (28 m) | Mill Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Moscow Bridge | Moscow, Rush County | 1886 (rebuilt 2010) | 334 feet (102 m) | Big Flat Rock River | Burr Arch | Two spans, third longest covered bridge in the state; destroyed by a tornado in 2008, it has since been rebuilt. | |
Narrows Bridge | Marshall, Parke County | 1882 | 121 feet (37 m) | Sugar Creek | Burr Arch | Located on the east boundary of Turkey Run State Park. | |
Neet Bridge | Catlin, Parke County | 1904 | 126 feet (38 m) | Little Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Nevins Bridge | Catlin, Parke County | 1920 | 155 feet (47 m) | Little Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | ||
New Brownsville Bridge | Columbus, Bartholomew County | 1840 | 93 feet (28 m) | Mill Run Creek | Long Truss | Moved from Brownsville in Union County over the Whitewater River. | |
Newport Bridge | Newport, Vermillion County | 1885 | 180 feet (55 m) | Little Vermillion River | Burr Arch | ||
Norris Ford Bridge | Rushville, Rush County | 1916 | 169 feet (52 m) | Big Flat Rock River | Burr Arch | ||
North Manchester Bridge | North Manchester, Wabash County | 1872 | 150 feet (46 m) | Eel River | Smith Type IV Truss | ||
Oakalla Bridge | Greencastle, Putnam County | 1875 | 152 feet (46 m) | Big Walnut Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Old Red Bridge | Hickory Ridge, Gibson County | 1875 | 170 feet (52 m) | Big Bayou Creek | Smith Type IV Truss | ||
Pine Bluff Bridge | Carpentersville, Putnam County | 1915 | 211 feet (64 m) | Big Walnut Creek | Howe truss | ||
Phillips Bridge | Montezuma, Parke County | 1909 | 43 feet (13 m) | Big Pond Creek | King Post | Shortest covered bridge in the state | |
Portland Mills Bridge | Guion, Parke County | 1856 | 130 feet (40 m) | Little Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | Tied with Crooks Bridge as the fourth oldest covered bridge in the state. | |
Potter's Covered Bridge | Noblesville, Hamilton County | 1871 | 259 feet (79 m) | West Fork, White River | Howe truss | ||
Ramp Creek Bridge | Nashville, Brown County | 1838 | 96 feet (29 m) | Salt Creek | Double Barreled Burr Arch | Oldest and only two-lane covered bridge in the state; located at the entrance to Brown County State Park. | |
Richland Creek Bridge | Bloomfield, Greene County | 1883 | 100 feet (30 m) | Richland Creek | Burr Arch | Built by A.M. Kennedy and Sons | |
Roann Bridge | Roann, Wabash County | 1872 | 288 feet (88 m) | Eel River | Howe truss | ||
Rob Roy Bridge | Rob Roy, Fountain County | 1860 | 120 feet (37 m) | Big Shawnee Creek | Howe truss | ||
Rolling Stone Bridge | Bainbridge, Putnam County | 1915 | 103 feet (31 m) | Big Walnut Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Roseville-Coxville Bridge | Coxville, Parke County | 1910 | 263 feet (80 m) | Big Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Rush Creek Bridge | Tangier, Parke County | 1904 | 77 feet (23 m) | Rush Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Salem Crossing Bridge | Zionsville, Boone County | 1972 | ? | Fishback Creek | Howe truss | ||
Sanatorium Bridge | Rockville, Parke County | 1913 | 154 feet (47 m) | Little Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Scipio Bridge | Scipio, Jennings County | 1886 | 146 feet (45 m) | Sand Creek | Howe truss | ||
Shieldstown Bridge | Shields, Jackson County | 1876 | 331 feet (101 m) | East Fork, White River | Burr Arch | ||
Sim Smith Bridge | Montezuma, Parke County | 1883 | 84 feet (26 m) | Leatherwood Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Smith Bridge | Rushville, Rush County | 1877 | 138 feet (42 m) | Big Flat Rock River | Burr Arch | ||
Snow Hill Bridge | Rockdale, Franklin County | 1895 | 75 feet (23 m) | Johnson Fork, Whitewater River | Howe truss | ||
South Hill Bridge | Universal, Vermillion County | 1879 | 122 feet (37 m) | Brouilletts Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Spencerville Covered Bridge | Spencerville, DeKalb County | 1873 | 160 feet (49 m) | St. Joseph River | Howe truss | ||
Stockheughter Bridge | Enochsburg, Franklin County | 1887 | 92 feet (28 m) | Salt Creek | Howe truss | ||
Thorpe Ford Bridge | Rosedale, Parke County | 1912 | 163 feet (50 m) | Big Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Traders Point Bridge | Indianapolis, Marion County | 1880 | 89 feet (27 m) | Fishback Creek | Howe truss | ||
Vermont Bridge | Kokomo, Howard County | 1875 | 98 feet (30 m) | Kokomo Creek | Smith Type IV Truss | Moved from its original location to Highland Park in Kokomo. | |
Wallace Bridge | Wallace, Fountain County | 1871 | 81 feet (25 m) | Sugar Mill Creek | Howe truss | ||
West Union Bridge | West Union, Parke County | 1876 | 315 feet (96 m) | Sugar Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Westport Bridge | Westport, Decatur County | 1880 | 115 feet (35 m) | Sand Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Wheeling Bridge | Wheeling, Gibson County | 1877 | 164 feet (50 m) | Patoka River | Smith Type IV Truss | ||
White Water Canal Aqueduct Bridge | Metamora, Franklin County | 1846 | 81 feet (25 m) | Duck Creek | Burr Arch | Located on the east side of Metamora. | |
Wilkins Mill Bridge | Annapolis, Parke County | 1906 | 102 feet (31 m) | Sugar Mill Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Williams Bridge | Williams, Lawrence County | 1884 | 373 feet (114 m) | East Fork, White River | Howe truss | Two spans, second longest covered bridge in the state | |
Zacke Cox Bridge | Coxville, Parke County | 1908 | 54 feet (16 m) | Rock Run Creek | Burr Arch |
Nonextant
editName[2] | Image | Location [2][A] |
Year built[2] | Length | Crosses | Design | Historical notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bell Ford Bridge | Seymour, Jackson County | 1869 | 330 feet (100 m) | East Fork, White River | Post Truss | Western 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 County | 1868 | 245 feet (75 m) | Big Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | Destroyed by fire in April 2005. | |
Clinton Bridge | Clinton, Vermillion County | 1852 | 735 feet (224 m) | Wabash River | Four spans, removed in 1899 |
Notes
edit- A Sorting this column will result in bridges being listed in order by county.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Parke County Chamber of Commerce
- ^ a b c d e f g Indiana Atlas & Gazetteer, DeLorme Publishing; 3rd edition (2004), pg 9
- ^ Caswell, William S. World Guide to Covered Bridges (2021 ed.). Concord, New Hampshire: National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges. pp. 13–30. ISBN 978-0-578-30263-8.
- ^ Putnam County Convention & Visitors Bureau
- ^ "Historic Indiana bridge targeted by vandals". February 28, 2015.
- ^ Geological Survey (U.S.) Branch of Geographic Names (July 10, 1981). "Indiana Geographic Names". U.S.G.S. Topographic Division, Office of Research & Technical Standards, National Center – via Google Books.
- ^ Indiana Gazetter and Atlas, Delorme Pub; Yarmouth, Maine
- ^ "The National Gazetteer of the United States of America--Indiana, 1988". U.S. Government Printing Office. July 10, 1988 – via Google Books.