Covered Bridges in the state of Indiana - Travel Photos by Galen R Frysinger, Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Covered Bridges

in the state of

Indiana

Ceylon Covered Bridge

More Photos of the Ceylon Covered Bridge in Adams County

Brownsville Covered Bridge

More Photos of the Covered Bridges in Bartholomew County

Indiana’s covered bridge era began in the early 1830s when the National Road first crossed the state, The first Hoosier covered bridge was completed in 1835 in Henry county.

Bean Blossom Covered Bridge

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More Photos of Covered Bridges in Brown County

Adams Mill Covered Bridge

More Photos of Covered Bridges in Carroll County

It is estimated that between 400 and 500 covered bridges may have existed in Indiana. The American Society of Civil Engineers suggests that perhaps 10,000 covered bridges were built in the United States between 18O5 and 1885.

Westport Covered Bridge

More Photos of Covered Bridge in Decatur County

Guilford Covered Bridge

More Photos of Covered Bridge in Deerborn County

Spencerville Covered Bridge

More Photos of Spencerville Covered Bridge in Dekalb County

Longwood Covered Bridge

More Photos of Covered Bridge in Fayette County

Rob Roy Covered Bridge

More Photos of the Covered Bridges in Fountain County

Snow Hill Bridge

More Photos of the Covered Bridges in Franklin County

Because the bridges were constructed with timber, they were covered to protect them from the elements. They were often the 1argest covered area in a community and were used for revival meetings. weddings, and political rallies.

Old Red Covered Bridge

More Photos of the Covered Bridges in Gibson County

Cumberland Bridge in Matthews, Indiana

More Photos of the Covered Bridge in Grant County

Two major Indiana covered bridge builders, J. J. Daniels and Joseph A. Britton, lived in the Rockville area, and a third, A. M. Kennedy working with his sons and grandsons. lived in Rushville. This explains the concentration in covered bridges in Parke and Rush counties. Between them, they built 158 bridges in Indiana.

Richland Creek Covered Bridge

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More Photos of the Covered Bridge in Greene County

Potters Bridge in Hamilton County

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More Photos of Covered Bridges in Hamilton County

In 1930. the Indiana Historical Society formed the Covered Bridge Committee The committees' objectives were the collection and dissemination of information about covered bridges and their builders. They compiled a directory showing the location of each of the then existing 202 covered bridges in Indiana.

Vermont Bridge in Kokomo, Indiana

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More Photos of the Covered Bridge in Howard County

R. B. Yule. engineer of Bridge Investigation and Location, Indiana Highway Commission and chairman of the Covered bridge Committee, stated in October 1938. “The committee hopes to have several good examples of covered bridge construction in parks or on secondary roads preserved for the use and interest for several generations to come. Like most civil engineering works where motion is not involved, careful maintenance will keep for us indefinitely these useful relics of a past generation.”

Shieldstown Covered Bridge

More Photos of the Covered Bridges in Jackson County

Scipio Covered Bridge

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More Photos of the Covered Bridges of Jennings County

In 1998, however only ninety-three covered timber bridges remain in the Hoosier state. Many bridges have fallen victim to local apathy,the forces of nature,arson, and/or careless driving.

Text from Indiana Historical Bureau