List of lost covered bridges in Parke County, Indiana

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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.

Contents

Parke County is the self-proclaimed "Covered Bridge Capital of the World". [1] It 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 meandering 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 had two bridge builders who built most of the bridges in the county. The first of these was J.J. Daniels. Born in 1826, in Marietta, Ohio, he built 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 built 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 in 2006, based on the original blueprints. [3]

List of bridges

NameImageYear builtYear destroyedDesign and length [A] Body of water crossedCause of destruction
Adams Covered Bridge 19071969 Burr Truss, 170 feet (52 m) longLittle Raccoon CreekFlood
Armiesburg Covered Bridge 18541913 Long Truss, unknown feet longBig Raccoon CreekFlood
Bridgeton Covered Bridge Bridgetoncoveredbridge1.jpg 18682005 Burr Truss, 267 feet (81 m) longBig Raccoon CreekArson, April 28, 2005
Clinton Covered Bridge Covered bridge in Clinton, Indiana, 1852 to 1899.jpg 18531899 Long Truss, 790 feet (240 m) long Wabash River Dismantled using high voltage wires to cut through the trusses.
Coal Creek Covered Bridge 18691992 Burr Truss, 194 feet (59 m) longCoal CreekArson, June 28, 1992
Dooley Station Covered Bridge 19171960 Burr Truss, 95 feet (29 m) longLittle Raccoon CreekArson, December 4, 1960
Grange Corner Covered Bridge 18991968 Burr Truss, 113 feet (34 m) longSugar Mill CreekFlood
Greencastle Road Covered Bridge 1863 (before)1863 Unknown, unknown feet longLittle Raccoon CreekDismantled
Harbison Covered Bridge 19161943 Burr Truss, unknown feet longBig Raccoon CreekFire
Hargrave Covered Bridge 18471913 Burr Truss, unknown feet longBig Raccoon CreekFlood
Harrison Covered Bridge 18661876 Burr Truss, 250 feet (76 m) longSugar CreekDismantled
Hollandsburg Covered Bridge 18661930 Burr Truss, unknown feet longBig Raccoon CreekDismantled
Howard Covered Bridge 19131931 or 1932 Burr Truss, unknown feet longSugar CreekDismantled
Jeffries Ford Covered Bridge Jeffriesfordbridge.jpg 19152002 Burr Truss, 222 feet (68 m) longBig Raccoon CreekArson, April 2, 2002
Jessup Covered Bridge 19101989 Burr Truss, 175 feet (53 m) longLittle Raccoon CreekFlood
JH Russell Covered Bridge 18971983 Queen Truss, 50 feet (15 m) longSugar Creek, Square Rock BranchDismantled
Lusk Covered Bridge #118401847 Lattice Truss (unconfirmed), unknown feet longSugar CreekFlood, January 1, 1847
Lusk Covered Bridge #218471875 Lattice Truss (unconfirmed), unknown feet longSugar CreekUnknown
Moore Covered Bridge 19091957 Burr Truss, 81 feet (25 m) longLittle Raccoon Creek, South ForkFlood
Plank Road Covered Bridge 1854 or 18591913 Burr Truss, unknown feet longLittle Raccoon CreekFlood
Red Covered Bridge 18801976 Burr Truss, 276 feet (84 m) longBig Raccoon CreekArson, October 13, 1976
Roaring Creek Covered Bridge 1863 (unconfirmed)1923 and 1925 Unknown, unknown feet longRoaring CreekDismantled
Roseville Covered Bridge 18661910 Burr Truss, 250 feet (76 m) longBig Raccoon CreekArson, April 10, 1910
Star Mill Covered Bridge 18611866 Burr Truss, 250 feet (76 m) longSugar CreekFlood
Turkey Run Covered Bridge 1865, 1866, or 18841914 Queen Truss, 50 feet (15 m) longTurkey RunDismantled
Union Township Covered Bridge 18511872 Burr Truss, unknown feet longBig Raccoon CreekDismantled
Weisner Covered Bridge 19081957 King Post, 63 feet (19 m) longWeisner CreekFlood

Notes

A Sorting this column will result in bridges being listed in order by length.

See also

References

Bibliography

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