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List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Indiana is home to many amazing old bridges and tunnels! Some of these are so special that they are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important parts of history and need to be protected. These structures help us understand how people traveled and built things long ago. Let's explore some of these cool bridges and tunnels across Indiana!

Indiana's Historic Bridges and Tunnels

What is the National Register of Historic Places?

The National Register of Historic Places is like a special list of important buildings, places, and structures in the United States. When something is added to this list, it means it has a lot of history or is a great example of how things were built in the past. It helps make sure these places are cared for and saved for future generations.

Covered Bridges: A Step Back in Time

Indiana is famous for its beautiful covered bridges. These bridges have roofs and sides, which were originally built to protect the wooden parts from rain and snow. This made them last much longer! Many of these old covered bridges are still standing today.

Parke County: The Covered Bridge Capital

Parke County is known as the "Covered Bridge Capital of Indiana" because it has so many historic covered bridges. Here are a few examples:

  • The Beeson Bridge was built in 1906. It's a type called a Burr Arch Truss.
  • The Big Rocky Fork Bridge from 1900 is another Burr Arch Truss bridge.
  • The Billie Creek Bridge (1895) and Bowsher Ford Bridge (1915) are also Burr Arch Truss bridges found in Parke County.
  • The Bridgeton Bridge, built in 1868, is a famous Burr Arch Truss bridge. It was rebuilt after a fire.
  • The Catlin Bridge (1907) and Conley's Ford Bridge (1907) are more examples of Burr Arch Truss bridges in the area.
  • The Cox Ford Bridge (1913) and Crooks Bridge (1856) are also Burr Arch Truss bridges. The Crooks Bridge is one of the oldest.
  • The Harry Evans Bridge (1908), Jackson Bridge (1861), and Jeffries Ford Bridge (1915) are other Burr Arch Truss bridges in Parke County.
  • The Leatherwood Station Bridge (1899), Mansfield Covered Bridge (1867), and Marshall Bridge (1917) are more examples of these historic structures.
  • The McAllister Bridge (1914), Mecca Bridge (1873), and Melcher Bridge (1896) also show off the Burr Arch Truss design.
  • The Mill Creek Bridge (1907), Narrows Bridge (1882), and Neet Bridge (1904) are more Burr Arch Truss bridges.
  • The Nevins Bridge (1920), Phillips Bridge (1909), and Portland Mills Bridge (1856) are also found here. The Phillips Bridge is a Multiple King Post type.
  • The Roseville Bridge (1910), Rush Creek Bridge (1904), and Sim Smith Bridge (1883) are more Burr Arch Truss bridges.
  • The State Sanitorium Bridge (1913), Thorpe Ford Bridge (1912), and West Union Bridge (1876) are also Burr Arch Truss bridges.
  • The Wilkins Mill Bridge (1906) and Zacke Cox Bridge (1908) complete this impressive list of covered bridges in Parke County.

Other Cool Covered Bridges

Many other counties in Indiana also have special covered bridges:

  • The 4th Roann Covered Bridge (1877) in Wabash County is a Howe Truss bridge.
  • The Adams Mill Covered Bridge (1872) in Carroll County is a Howe Truss and Burr Arch design.
  • The Cataract Covered Bridge (1876) in Owen County is a Smith Truss Bridge.
  • The Ceylon Covered Bridge (1879) in Adams County is a Howe Truss.
  • The Cumberland Covered Bridge (1877) in Grant County is another historic covered bridge.
  • The Darlington Covered Bridge (1868) in Montgomery County is a Howe Truss.
  • The Eugene Covered Bridge (1873) in Vermillion County is a Burr Arch Truss.
  • The Forsythe Covered Bridge (1888) in Rush County is a Burr Arch Truss System.
  • The Huffman Mill Covered Bridge (1865) in Perry/Spencer counties is a Burr Arch Truss.
  • The Moscow Covered Bridge (1886) in Rush County has two Burr Arch Trusses.
  • The Newport Covered Bridge (1885) in Vermillion County is a Burr Arch Truss.
  • The Norris Ford Covered Bridge (1916) in Rush County is a Burr Arch Truss System.
  • The North Manchester Covered Bridge (1872) in Wabash County is a Smith Type 4 Truss.
  • The Offutt Covered Bridge (1884) in Rush County is a Burr Arch Truss System.
  • The Possum Bottom Covered Bridge (1876) in Vermillion County is a Burr Arch Truss.
  • The Potter's Covered Bridge (1871) in Hamilton County is a Howe Truss.
  • The Richland-Plummer Creek Covered Bridge (1883) in Greene County is a Burr Arch Truss.
  • The Smith Covered Bridge (1877) in Rush County is a Burr Arch Truss System.
  • The Snow Hill Covered Bridge (1895) in Franklin County is a Howe Truss.
  • The Spencerville Covered Bridge (1873) in De Kalb County is a Smith Type 4 Truss.
  • The Stockheughter Covered Bridge (1891) in Franklin County is a Howe Truss.
  • The Westport Covered Bridge (1880) in Decatur County is a Burr Arch type.
  • The Williams Bridge (1884) in Lawrence County is a Howe Truss.

Strong and Sturdy: Truss Bridges

Truss bridges are built using a framework of triangles. This design makes them very strong and able to carry heavy loads. Many different types of truss bridges exist, each with a unique pattern of triangles.

  • The Aqueduct Bridge (1880) in Clay City is a Pratt through truss.
  • The Bell Ford Post Patented Diagonal "Combination Bridge" (1885) in Jackson County is a unique Combination Truss.
  • The Brown County Bridge No. 36 (1908) in Brown County is a Pratt Through Truss.
  • The Cavanaugh Bridge in Jackson/Washington counties is a Pratt through truss.
  • The Chinworth Bridge (1897) in Kosciusko County is a Pratt through truss.
  • The County Bridge No. 45 (1903) in Knox/Daviess counties is a Pratt Through Truss.
  • The County Line Bridge (1916) in Hancock/Rush counties is a Parker through-truss.
  • The Eikenberry Bridge (1920) in Miami County is a Pratt Through Truss.
  • The Feeder Dam Bridge (1894) in Clay City is a Whipple through truss.
  • The Fort Wayne Street Bridge in Elkhart County is a Pennsylvania truss.
  • The Furnas Mill Bridge (1891) in Johnson County is a Pratt through truss.
  • The George Street Bridge (1887) in Aurora is a Whipple truss.
  • The Harmony Way Bridge (1930) in Posey County is a Pratt Through Truss.
  • The Hendricks County Bridge Number 316 (1886) in Hendricks County is a Pinned Warren truss.
  • The Indiana State Highway Bridge 42-11-3101 (1939) in Clay County is a Parker through truss.
  • The Indiana State Highway Bridge 46-11-1316 (1939) in Clay County is a Pratt through truss.
  • The Jeffers Bridge (1905) in Clay City is a Pratt Through Truss.
  • The Lake Ditch Bridge (1895) in Morgan County is a Plate girder bridge.
  • The Lamb's Creek Bridge (1893) in Morgan County is a Pratt Through Truss.
  • The Laughery Creek Bridge (1868) in Dearborn County is a Triple-intersection Pratt.
  • The Louisville Municipal Bridge, Pylons and Administration Building (1928) in Clark County is a Warren through truss. It's now called the George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge.
  • The Marion County Bridge 0501F in Marion County is a Parker Steel truss.
  • The Ohio Street Bridge (1891) in Vanderburgh County is a Pratt through Truss.
  • The Patoka Bridges Historic District (1884) in Pike County includes Pratt through truss bridges.
  • The Paw Paw Creek Bridge No. 52 (1874) in Miami County is a Bow-String Arch.
  • The Pugh Ford Bridge (1911) in Bartholomew County is a Pratt through truss.
  • The Pulaski County Bridge No. 31 (1905) in Carroll County is a Stearns Truss.
  • The Rangeline Road Bridge (1913) in Huntington County is a Camelback Through truss.
  • The Rush County Bridge No. 188 (1901) in Rush County is a Pratt through Truss.
  • The Secrest Ferry Bridge (1903) in Monroe/Owen counties is a Pennsylvania through truss.
  • The Starke County Bridge No. 39 (1915) in Starke County is a Warren Pony Truss.
  • The Twin Bridges (1870) in Hendricks County are Wrought-Iron Baltimore through trusses.
  • The Water Street/Darden Road Bridge (1885) in St. Joseph County is a Pratt through truss.
  • The Wells Street Bridge (1884) in Allen County is a Whipple Truss.
  • The Wilson Bridge (1897) in Carroll County is a Pratt through truss.

Bridges Made of Stone and Concrete

Not all bridges are made of wood or metal. Some of the oldest and strongest bridges are built from stone or concrete.

  • The Beck's Mill Bridge (2007) in Washington County is a concrete arch bridge.
  • The Benville Bridge (1908) in Jennings County is a stone-arch bridge.
  • The Carrollton Bridge (1927) in Carroll County is a Filled Spandrel bridge.
  • The Collin's Ford Bridge (1907) in Ripley County is a stone-arched bridge.
  • The East Laporte Street Footbridge (1898) in Marshall County is a Z-Span Kingpost.
  • The Edward's Ford Bridge (1911) in Jennings County is a stone-arch bridge.
  • The La Salle Street Bridge (1907) in South Bend is a Filled Spandrel Arch.
  • The Marble Creek Bridge (1905) in Ripley County is a stone-arch bridge.
  • The Putnam County Bridge No. 159 (1929) in Putnam County is an Open spandrel bridge.
  • The Scotland Bridge (1901) in Boone and Clinton counties is a true masonry arch.
  • The Stone Arch Bridge over McCormick's Creek (1934) in Owen County is a Park Rustic style bridge.
  • The Wabash and Erie Canal Culvert No. 100 (1840) in Carroll County is a masonry arch.
  • The West Washington Street Bridge (2008) in Delaware County is a Concrete Arch.

Images for kids

  • CoveredBridge 1917 P4010051

    4th Roann Covered Bridge

  • Adams Mill Covered Bridge, northern portal

    Adams Mill Covered Bridge

  • Aqueduct Bridge

    Aqueduct Bridge

  • Beck's Mill Bridge 1

    Beck's Mill Bridge

  • Beeson Covered Bridge (Billie Creek Village)

    Beeson Covered Bridge

  • Bell Ford Bridge

    Bell Ford Bridge

  • Big Rocky Fork CB (Parke Cty) S side

    Big Rocky Fork Bridge

  • Billie Creek Covered Bridge

    Billie Creek Covered Bridge

  • Bowsherfordbridge

    Bowsher Ford Bridge

  • RebuiltBridgetonCoveredBridge

    Rebuilt Bridgeton Bridge

  • Brown County Bridge No. 36, southern portal

    Brown County Bridge

  • Carrollton Bridge, eastern side

    Carrollton Bridge

  • Cataract Covered Bridge, southern side

    Cataract Falls Bridge

  • Catlincoveredbridge

    Catlin Bridge

  • Cavanaugh Bridge southwestern angle

    Cavanaugh Bridge

  • Ceylon Covered Bridge, southern side and western portal

    Ceylon Covered Bridge

  • Chinworth Bridge from northwest

    Chinworth Bridge

  • Collin's Ford Bridge

    Collin's Ford Bridge

  • Conley'sford3

    Conley's Ford Bridge

  • County Bridge No. 45, western portal

    County Bridge No. 45

  • Hancock-Rush County Line Bridge, southern portal

    County Line Bridge

  • Cox Ford Covered Bridge Parke County Indiana

    Cox Ford Bridge

  • Crookscoveredbridge

    Crooks Bridge

  • Matthews Indiana CoveredBridge exterior

    Cumberland Covered Bridge

  • Darlington-covered-bridge

    Darlington Covered Bridge

  • Eikenberry Bridge

    Eikenberry Bridge

  • Eugene Covered Bridge from southeast from same level

    Eugene Covered Bridge

  • Feeder Dam Bridge

    Feeder Dam Bridge

  • Forsythe Covered Bridge

    Forsythe Covered Bridge

  • GoshenBridge

    Fort Wayne Street Bridge

  • Furnas Mill Bridge, southeastern angle

    Furnas Mill Bridge

  • Harmony Way Bridge, southern side detailed from east

    Harmony Way Bridge

  • HarryEvansCoveredBridge

    Harry Evans Bridge

  • Hendricks County Bridge 316 northern side

    Hendricks County Bridge No. 316

  • Huffman Mill Covered Bridge, eastern side

    Huffman Mill Covered Bridge

  • Indiana State Road 42 Bridge over Eel River, southern side and eastern portal

    Indiana State Highway Bridge 42-11-3101

  • Indiana State Road 46 Bridge over Eel River, southwestern angle with sunlight

    Indiana State Highway Bridge 46-11-1316

  • Jacksoncoveredbridge

    Jackson Bridge

  • Jeffers Bridge western portal closeup

    Jeffers Bridge

  • Jeffriesfordbridge

    Jeffries Ford Bridge

  • Lake Ditch Bridge

    Lake Ditch Bridge

  • Lamb's Creek Bridge

    Lamb's Creek Bridge

  • Laughery Creek Bridge Dearborn County Indiana

    Laughery Creek Bridge

  • Leatherwood Station Covered Bridge BW

    Leatherwood Station Bridge

  • Clarkmemorial

    Louisville Municipal Bridge, Pylons and Administration Building

  • Mansfield CB (Parke Cty)

    Mansfield Bridge

  • Marble Creek Bridge

    Marble Creek Bridge

  • Marion County Bridge 0501F

    Marion County Bridge 0501F

  • Marshallcoveredbridge

    Marshall Bridge

  • Mcallistercoveredbridge

    McAllister Bridge

  • Meccacoveredbridge

    Mecca Bridge

  • Medora Covered Bridge

    Medora Bridge

  • Melchercoveredbridge

    Melcher Bridge

  • MillCreekCoveredBridge2

    Mill Creek Bridge

  • Moscow Covered Bridge, southern side

    Moscow Covered Bridge

  • Narrows Covered Bridge Turkey Run SP

    Narrows Bridge

  • Neet Covered Bridge

    Neet Bridge

  • Nevinscoveredbridge

    Nevins Bridge

  • New Hope Bridge western portal

    New Hope Bridge

  • Newport Covered Bridge

    Newport Covered Bridge

  • Norris Ford Covered Bridge, eastern portal

    Norris Ford Covered Bridge

  • North Manchester Covered Bridge, northern portal

    North Manchester Covered Bridge

  • Ohio Street Bridge at Evansville, western portal and southern side

    Ohio Street Bridge

  • Pike County Wrought Iron Bridge

    Pike County Wrought Iron Bridge

  • Paw Paw Creek Bridge No. 52 remnants

    Paw Paw Creek Bridge No. 52

  • P4230106 Phillips

    Phillips Bridge

  • Portlandmillsbridge1

    Portland Mills Bridge

  • Possum Bottom Covered Bridge, southwestern angle

    Possum Bottom Covered Bridge

  • Potters Bridge

    Potter's Covered Bridge

  • Pugh Ford Bridge Truss Bridge PB280104

    Pugh Ford Bridge

  • Pulaski County Bridge No. 31

    Pulaski County Bridge No. 31

  • Putnam County Bridge No. 159, northern end

    Putnam County Bridge No. 159

  • Rangeline Road Bridge

    Rangeline Road Bridge

  • Richland-Plummer Creek Covered Bridge, southern side and eastern end

    Richland-Plummer Creek Covered Bridge

  • Rosevillecoveredbridge

    Roseville Bridge

  • Rush County Bridge No. 188 southern portal

    Rush County Bridge No. 188

  • RushCreekBridge2

    Rush Creek Bridge

  • Eastern side of the Scotland Bridge

    Scotland Bridge

  • Secrest Ferry Bridge western side

    Secrest Ferry Bridge

  • Sims Smith CB

    Sim Smith Bridge

  • Smith Covered Bridge, western portal

    Smith Covered Bridge

  • Snow Hill Covered Bridge

    Snow Hill Covered Bridge

  • Spencerville Cover Bridge Portal

    Spencerville Covered Bridge

  • Pony Truss Bridge PA090093 North portal

    Starke County Bridge No. 39

  • State Sanitorium Covered Bridge

    State Sanitorium Bridge

  • Stockheughter Covered Bridge

    Stockheughter Covered Bridge

  • Stone Arch Bridge over McCormick's Creek, eastern side from southeast, closeup

    Stone Arch Bridge over McCormick's Creek

  • Thorpefordbridge

    Thorpe Ford Bridge

  • County Bridge 178, Twin Bridges

    Twin Bridges

  • Edge of the Burnett's Creek Arch

    Wabash and Erie Canal Culvert No. 100

  • Darden Bridge

    Water Street/Darden Road Bridge

  • Wells St Bridge 1

    Wells Street Bridge

  • Westunionbridge

    West Union Bridge

  • West Washington Street Bridge in Muncie

    West Washington Street Bridge

  • Westport Covered Bridge from the south

    Westport Covered Bridge

  • Wilkinsmillbridge

    Wilkins Mill Bridge

  • Williams CB (Lawrence Cty)Indiana

    Williams Bridge

  • Wilson Bridge over Deer Creek, western portal and southern side

    Wilson Bridge

  • Zacke Cox 2009

    Zacke Cox Bridge

  • Brownsville Covered Bridge, Spanning East Fork Whitewater River (moved to Eagl, Brownsville (Union County, Indiana)

    Brownsville Covered Bridge

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List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.