The Jeffries Ford Covered Bridge was southwest of Bridgeton, Indiana, United States. The double-span Burr Arch covered bridge structure was built by J. A. Britton in 1915 and destroyed by arson on April 2, 2002.[1]
Jeffries Ford Covered Bridge | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates | 39°37′48″N 87°12′38″W / 39.6300°N 87.2105°W |
| Carried | Jeffries Ford Road (C.R. S150E) |
| Crossed | Big Raccoon Creek |
| Locale | Raccoon, Indiana |
| Named for | Jeffries Ford |
| Owner | Parke County Commissioners Parke County |
| WGCB Number | 14-61-03x |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Burr arch truss bridge |
| Material | Wood |
| Total length | 222 feet (68 m) |
| Width | 16 feet (4.9 m)[1] |
| Height | 13 feet (4.0 m) |
| History | |
| Constructed by | Joseph A. Britton |
| Opened | 1915 |
| Collapsed | April 2, 2002 (arson) |
Jeffries Ford Bridge | |
| MPS | Parke County Covered Bridges TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000394[2] |
| Added to NRHP | December 22, 1978 |
| Location | |
 | |
History
editConstruction
editAt the time the Jeffries Ford Bridge was built Joseph A. Britton was 75 years old. Throughout his years as a bridge builder Britton had been assisted by his family and this bridge was no different, some of his sons, four by his first wife and five by his second, would have done the actual construction work. His son Eugene Britton built the Bowsher Ford Covered Bridge the same year.[3]
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.[2]
Destruction
editJust a few weeks before the Jeffries Ford Covered Bridge was burnt down by an arsonist, the Jackson Covered Bridge had been damaged. On April 2, 2002, the Jeffries Ford Bridge was burnt to a total loss. The residents of Parke County wanted the bridge rebuilt and tried to raise enough funds to do it, but with the burning of the Bridgeton Covered Bridge, the decision was made to rebuild the Bridgeton Bridge and replace the Jeffries Ford Bridge with a modern concrete bridge.[4]
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Remains of the Jeffries Ford Bridge, taken from the south side. -
The Pier of the Jeffries Ford Bridge. -
The abandoned road south of the Jeffries Ford Bridge Site.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Jeffries Ford Covered Bridge". coveredbridges.com. Parke County Convention & Visitors Commission. Archived from the original on February 18, 2015. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
- ^ "Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD)" (Searchable database). Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. Retrieved June 1, 2016. Note: This includes Charles Felkner (December 1977). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Parke County Covered Bridge Historic District" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2016. and Site map.
- ^ "Jeffries Ford Covered Bridge 14-61-03x". Bridge Hunters. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
External links
edit
Media related to Jeffries Ford Covered Bridge at Wikimedia Commons