Thorpe Ford Covered Bridge | |
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Coordinates | 39°38′13.45″N87°15′52.75″W / 39.6370694°N 87.2646528°W Coordinates: 39°38′13.45″N87°15′52.75″W / 39.6370694°N 87.2646528°W |
Carries | Rosedale-Catlin Road |
Crosses | Big Raccoon Creek, Indiana |
Locale | Parke, Indiana, United States |
Official name | Thorpe Ford Covered Bridge |
Named for | Thorpe Ford |
Maintained by | Parke County |
WGCB Number |
|
Characteristics | |
Design | National Register of Historic Places |
Total length | 181 ft (55 m)163ft +9ft overhangs on each end |
Width | 16 ft (4.9 m) [2] |
Height | 13 ft (4.0 m) |
History | |
Constructed by | Britton, J.A. |
Built | 1912 |
MPS | Parke County Covered Bridges TR |
NRHP reference No. | 78000413 [3] |
Added to NRHP | Dec 22, 1978 |
Location | |
The Thorpe Ford Covered Bridge is northeast of Rosedale, Indiana. The single span Burr Arch Truss covered bridge structure was built by Joseph A. Britton in 1912. [4] [5]
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. [3]
Around the area where the bridge is built was originally called Thorpe Ford, named after the family that owned much of the land near the ford. The building of the bridge at this location can be attributed to County Commissioner J.M. May. It seems that after his election to County Commissioner he was attempting to travel from Rosedale to Rockville. Obtaining a short cut that would bypass Coxville he set out for Rockville. After following the convoluted directions and getting lost several times he promised that a new bridge would be built.
With the construction of the Thorpe Ford Covered Bridge the road became a major route from Terre Haute to Crawfordsville. It was nicknamed the "Ben Hur Highway" for General Lew Wallace who was a famous Crawfordsville resident and author of the famous novel Ben Hur. Many elephants and other circus animals crossed here on the way to winter camp in Peru, Indiana.
In the 1930s the WPA paved the road with concrete but most traffic was diverted to U.S. Highway 41 after its construction in the 1920s. However, heavy agricultural traffic continued to use the road which in 1960 led to the bridge being condemned and bypassed in 1961. [4]
The Mansfield Covered Bridge is a Double Burr Arch double span truss bridge located on Mansfield Road (historic) and Big Raccoon Creek in Mansfield southeast of Rockville in Parke County, Indiana. Built by Joseph J. Daniels in 1867 at a cost of $12,200. At 279 ft (85 m) it is the second longest covered bridge left in Parke County. This Historic Site rest on land provided by Luke Moody, of Parke County, Indiana and is open to the public all year.
The Big Rocky Fork Covered Bridge is located 1 mile (1.6 km) southeast of Mansfield, Indiana, on County Road 720 and about 2 miles (3.2 km) east of State Road 59, in Parke County.
Conley's Ford Covered Bridge was built in 1906 and crosses Big Raccoon Creek on County Road 550 East close to County Road 720 South, in Parke County, IN. The bridge is a single span Burr Arch Truss structure. The Conley's Ford Covered Bridge was built by J. Lawrence Van Fossen.
The Nevins Covered Bridge is a single span Burr Arch Truss covered bridge that crosses Little Raccoon Creek on County Road 130 East, just southeast of Catlin, Indiana. It was built in 1920 by Joseph A. Britton and Son. Prior to the reconstruction of the Bridgeton Bridge in 2006, the Nevins Bridge was the newest covered bridge in Parke County.
The Crooks Covered Bridge is a single span Burr Arch Truss structure that crosses Little Raccoon Creek built in 1855-1856 by Henry Wolf just southeast of Rockville, Indiana.
The Billie Creek Covered Bridge is a Burr Arch structure that was built by Joseph J. Daniels in 1895. J.L. Van Fossen supplied the sandstone that makes up the abutments cut from A.E. Fuel's nearby quarry.
The Neet Covered Bridge is a Burr Arch single span structure that was built by Joseph J. Daniels in 1904 over Little Raccoon Creek southwest of Rockville, Indiana.
The Bowsher Ford Covered Bridge is a single span Burr Arch truss covered bridge structure that was built by J.A. Britton's son, Eugene Britton, in 1915.
The Catlin Covered Bridge is a single span Burr Arch truss covered bridge structure that was built by Clark McDaniel in 1907.
The Cox Ford Covered Bridge is a covered bridge that crosses Sugar Creek along the western edge of Turkey Run State Park, in Parke County, in the U.S. state of Indiana.
The Jackson Covered Bridge also known as the Rockport Covered Bridge is located in the 'forgotten town' of Rockport, northwest of Bloomingdale, Parke County, Indiana, USA.
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.
The Melcher Covered Bridge, also known as the "Klondyke Covered Bridge", "Marion Covered Bridge", or the "Leatherwood Covered Bridge" crosses Leatherwood Creek east of Montezuma, Indiana, and is a single-span Burr Arch Truss covered bridge structure that was built by Joseph J. Daniels in 1896.
The Mill Creek Covered Bridge also known as "Thompson's Ford Covered Bridge," "Tow Path Covered Bridge," or "Earl Ray Covered Bridge" crosses Wabash Mill Creek (historic) southwest of Tangier, Indiana. It is a single span Burr Arch Truss covered bridge structure that was built by D. M. Brown in 1907.
The Portland Mills Covered Bridge is the second oldest covered bridge in Parke County, Indiana, being built the same year as the Crooks Covered Bridge. It is a single span Burr Arch Truss covered bridge that was built by Henry Wolf in 1856.
The Roseville Covered Bridge, also known as the Coxville covered bridge, is southeast of Mecca, Indiana. The double span Burr Arch covered bridge structure was built by Joseph J. Daniels in 1910. This is the third bridge at this location.
The Sanitorium Covered Bridge is a bridged located east of Rockville, Indiana. The single-span Burr Arch covered bridge structure was built by Joseph A. Britton in 1913.
The West Union Covered Bridge formerly carried Tow Path Road over Sugar Creek north-northeast of Montezuma, Indiana. The two-span Burr Arch Truss covered bridge structure was built by Joseph J. Daniels in 1876. It is notable for being the longest standing covered bridge in Parke County, and one of the nation's best-preserved examples of the Burr truss.
The Wilkins Mill Covered Bridge is north of Rockville, Indiana. The single span Burr Arch Truss covered bridge structure was built by William Hendricks in 1906. The bridge is 120 feet (37 m) long, 16 feet (4.9 m) wide, and 13 feet (4.0 m) high.
Joseph Albert Britton (1839–1929), most commonly known as J.A. Britton, was a builder of bridges in Indiana. He created many works that survive and are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.