List of lost covered bridges in Parke County, Indiana
The "lost" covered bridges of Parke County covers the covered bridges of Parke County, Indiana, United States, that have been destroyed, either through floods, arson, or demolition.
Parke County is the self-proclaimed "Covered Bridge Capital of the World".[1] The county claims to have more covered bridges than any other county in the United States. At one time as many as 52 1/2 covered bridges existed in Parke County. The half bridge comes from a shared bridge with Vermillion County that crossed the Wabash river. Today 31 of those bridges survive, 10 of which have been closed to vehicle traffic.[1] Because of the numerous streams and creeks meander through the county and the ready natural resources to build the bridges, Parke County has many covered bridges.
Construction
Almost all of the bridges exteriors were built of poplar wood with interiors, trusses, arches and planking built of oak. The majority of the bridges were built using a Burr Arch or a double Burr Arch design.
Parke County also had two bridge builders that would build most of the bridges in the county. The first of these was J.J. Daniels. Born in 1826, in Marietta, Ohio, he would go on to build railroad bridges in Ohio and Indiana and 60 covered bridges in Indiana. Of these 60 bridges 27 alone were in Parke county with 11 of those still standing. The second was J.A. Britton. He was born just three miles east of Rockville, in 1838. Britton would go on to build 17 covered bridges in Parke County, with 12 of those still standing.[2]
Bridgeton bridge arson
The Bridgeton bridge was burned by an arsonist in 2004, but the community rallied to raise funds for local craftsmen to build a new bridge based on the original blueprints in 2006.[3]
List of bridges
Name | Image | Year Built | Year Destroyed | Design and Length[A] | Body of water crossed | Cause of destruction |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adams Covered Bridge | 1907 | 1969 | Burr Truss, 170 feet (52 m) long | Little Raccoon Creek | Flood | |
Armiesburg Covered Bridge | 1854 | 1913 | Long Truss, Unknown feet long | Big Raccoon Creek | Flood | |
Bridgeton Covered Bridge | ![]() |
1868 | 2005 | Burr Truss, 267 feet (81 m) long | Big Raccoon Creek | Arson, April 28, 2005 |
Clinton Covered Bridge | ![]() |
1853 | 1899 | Long Truss, 790 feet (240 m) long | Wabash River | Dismantled using high voltage wires to cut through the trusses. |
Coal Creek Covered Bridge | 1869 | 1992 | Burr Truss, 194 feet (59 m) long | Coal Creek | Arson, June 28, 1992 | |
Dooley Station Covered Bridge | 1917 | 1960 | Burr Truss, 95 feet (29 m) long | Little Raccoon Creek | Arson, December 4, 1960 | |
Grange Corner Covered Bridge | 1899 | 1968 | Burr Truss, 113 feet (34 m) long | Sugar Mill Creek | Flood | |
Greencastle Road Covered Bridge | 1863 (before) | 1863 | Unknown, Unknown feet long | Little Raccoon Creek | Dismantled | |
Harbison Covered Bridge | 1916 | 1943 | Burr Truss, Unknown feet long | Big Raccoon Creek | Fire | |
Hargrave Covered Bridge | 1847 | 1913 | Burr Truss, Unknown feet long | Big Raccoon Creek | Flood | |
Harrison Covered Bridge | 1866 | 1876 | Burr Truss, 250 feet (76 m) long | Sugar Creek | Dismantled | |
Hollandsburg Covered Bridge | 1866 | 1930 | Burr Truss, Unknown feet long | Big Raccoon Creek | Dismantled | |
Howard Covered Bridge | 1913 | 1931 or 1932 | Burr Truss, Unknown feet long | Sugar Creek | Dismantled | |
Jeffries Ford Covered Bridge | ![]() |
1915 | 2002 | Burr Truss, 222 feet (68 m) long | Big Raccoon Creek | Arson, April 2, 2002 |
Jessup Covered Bridge | 1910 | 1989 | Burr Truss, 175 feet (53 m) long | Little Raccoon Creek | Flood | |
JH Russell Covered Bridge | 1897 | 1983 | Queen Truss, 50 feet (15 m) long | Sugar Creek, Square Rock Branch | Dismantled | |
Lusk Covered Bridge #1 | 1840 | 1847 | Lattice Truss (Unconfirmed), Unknown feet long | Sugar Creek | Flood, January 1, 1847 | |
Lusk Covered Bridge #2 | 1847 | 1875 | Lattice Truss (Unconfirmed), Unknown feet long | Sugar Creek | Unknown | |
Moore Covered Bridge | 1909 | 1957 | Burr Truss, 81 feet (25 m) long | Little Raccoon Creek, South Fork | Flood | |
Plank Road Covered Bridge | 1854 or 1859 | 1913 | Burr Truss, Unknown feet long | Little Raccoon Creek | Flood | |
Red Covered Bridge | 1880 | 1976 | Burr Truss, 276 feet (84 m) long | Big Raccoon Creek | Arson, October 13, 1976 | |
Roaring Creek Covered Bridge | 1863 (Unconfirmed) | 1923 and 1925 | Unknown, Unknown feet long | Roaring Creek | Dismantled | |
Roseville Covered Bridge | 1866 | 1910 | Burr Truss, 250 feet (76 m) long | Big Raccoon Creek | Arson, April 10, 1910 | |
Star Mill Covered Bridge | 1861 | 1866 | Burr Truss, 250 feet (76 m) long | Sugar Creek | Flood | |
Turkey Run Covered Bridge | 1865, 1866, or 1884 | 1914 | Queen Truss, 50 feet (15 m) long | Turkey Run | Dismantled | |
Union Township Covered Bridge | 1851 | 1872 | Burr Truss, Unknown feet long | Big Raccoon Creek | Dismantled | |
Weisner Covered Bridge | 1908 | 1957 | King Post, 63 feet (19 m) long | Weisner Creek | Flood |
Notes
A Sorting this column will result in bridges being listed in order by their length.
References
Bibliography
- "Parke County Past Bridges". Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- "Bridge Builders and Plans". Archived from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
- McKee, Deb (15 April 2006). "Parke County residents begin reconstructing Bridgeton landmark". tribstar.com. Retrieved 30 August 2018.