List of covered bridges in Indiana facts for kids
Indiana is a special place for old wooden bridges! It's home to 98 historic covered bridges, which are bridges with walls and a roof. These covers protect the wooden parts of the bridge from rain and sun, helping them last much longer.
Many of these bridges were built a long time ago, even before 1870! Most of them use a design called a Burr Arch truss, which is a strong way to build them using arches and beams.
Did you know that Parke County calls itself the "covered bridge capital of the world"? It's true! This county and six others nearby have 51 of Indiana's 98 covered bridges. That's more than half! Parke County alone has 32, while Putnam County has 9, Fountain County has 3, Vermillion County has 3, Montgomery County has 2, Owen County has 1, and Vigo County has 1.
The most common design you'll see is the Burr Arch truss, used in 54 bridges. The next most popular is the Howe truss, with 23 bridges. You can also find a few older styles like the King Post and Queen Post bridges in western Indiana. For example, the Philips Bridge in Parke County is a King Post, and the Irishman Bridge in Vigo County is a Queen Post. Indiana even has examples of the Long Truss and the Smith Type IV Truss. Sadly, the Bell Ford Bridge, which was the last Post Truss covered bridge in the world, collapsed in 2006.
Contents
Indiana's Covered Bridges
This list shows many of the amazing covered bridges you can still visit in Indiana today!
Bridges You Can Still See
Name | Image | Location | Built | Length | Crosses | Design | Cool Facts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adams Mill Bridge | ![]() |
Cutler, Carroll County | 1872 | 138 feet (42 m) | Wildcat Creek | Howe truss | |
Baker's Camp Bridge | Bainbridge, Putnam County | 1901 | 128 feet (39 m) | Big Walnut Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Beanblossom Bridge | Beanblossom, Brown County | 1880 | 60 feet (18 m) | Beanblossom Creek | Howe truss | Looks like a Pratt Truss design. | |
Beeson Bridge | Billie Creek Village, Rockville, Parke County | 1906 | 55 feet (17 m) | Burr Arch | |||
Big Rocky Fork Bridge | Mansfield, Parke County | 1900 | 72 feet (22 m) | Big Rocky Fork Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Billie Creek Bridge | ![]() |
Billie Creek Village, Rockville, Parke County | 1895 | 62 feet (19 m) | Burr Arch | Moved here to be the entrance to Billie Creek Village. | |
Bowsher Ford Bridge | ![]() |
Tangier, Parke County | 1915 | 72 feet (22 m) | Mill Creek | Burr Arch | |
Bridgeton Bridge (new) | ![]() |
Bridgeton, Parke County | 2006 | 245 feet (75 m) | Big Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | The original bridge burned down in 2005, but this new one was finished in 2006. |
Busching Bridge | ![]() |
Versailles, Ripley County | 1885 | 176 feet (54 m) | Laugher Creek | Howe truss | Located in Versailles State Park. |
Cades Mill Bridge | Steam Corner, Fountain County | 1854 | 150 feet (46 m) | Coal Creek | Howe truss | This is the oldest covered bridge in Indiana! | |
Cataract Covered Bridge | ![]() |
Cataract, Owen County | 1876 | 140 feet (43 m) | Mill Creek | Smith Type IV Truss | |
Catlin Bridge | ![]() |
Rockville, Parke County | 1907 | 54 feet (16 m) | Bill Diddle Creek | Burr Arch | |
Cedar Ford Bridge | Bean Blossom, Monroe County | 2019 | 127 feet (39 m) | Beanblossom Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Ceylon Bridge | ![]() |
Ceylon, Adams County | 1879 | 126 feet (38 m) | Wabash River | Howe truss | |
Conley’s Ford Bridge | ![]() |
Mansfield, Parke County | 1907 | 192 feet (59 m) | Big Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | |
Cornstalk Bridge | ![]() |
Raccoon, Putnam County | 1917 | 82 feet (25 m) | Cornstalk Creek | Burr Arch | |
Cox Ford Bridge | ![]() |
Annapolis, Parke County | 1913 | 176 feet (54 m) | Sugar Creek | Burr Arch | You can find this bridge near Turkey Run State Park. |
Crooks Bridge | ![]() |
Rockville, Parke County | 1856 | 132 feet (40 m) | Little Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | This is the second oldest covered bridge in Indiana! |
Crown Point Bridge | ![]() |
Crown Point, Lake County | 1878 | 85 feet (26 m) | Gully | Burr Arch | This bridge was moved to the Lake County Fairgrounds in 1933. |
Cumberland Bridge | ![]() |
Matthews, Grant County | 1877 | 175 feet (53 m) | Mississinewa River | Howe truss | |
Darlington Bridge | ![]() |
Darlington, Montgomery County | 1868 | 140 feet (43 m) | Sugar Creek | Howe truss | This is the fourth oldest covered bridge in Indiana! It has a unique wooden block floor. |
Deer's Mills Bridge | ![]() |
Deer's Mill, Montgomery County | 1878 | 275 feet (84 m) | Sugar Creek | Burr Arch | Located in Shades State Park. |
Dick Huffman Bridge | Reelsville, Putnam County | 1880 | 265 feet (81 m) | Big Walnut River | Howe truss | This is the longest Howe Truss bridge in Indiana. | |
Dunbar Bridge | Greencastle, Putnam County | 1880 | 174 feet (53 m) | Big Walnut Creek | Burr Arch | This bridge has two spans. | |
Edna Collins Bridge | Clinton Falls, Putnam County | 1922 | 80 feet (24 m) | Little Walnut Creek | Burr Arch | Some local stories say this bridge is haunted! | |
Eugene Bridge | ![]() |
Eugene, Vermillion County | 1885 | 192 feet (59 m) | Vermillion River | Burr Arch | |
Forsythe Mill Bridge | ![]() |
Gowdy, Rush County | 1888 | 196 feet (60 m) | Big Flat Rock River | Burr Arch | Built by a famous bridge builder named Emmett L. Kennedy. |
Guilford Bridge | ![]() |
Guilford, Dearborn County | 1879 | 104 feet (32 m) | Burr Arch | ||
Harry Evans Bridge | ![]() |
Coxville, Parke County | 1908 | 65 feet (20 m) | Rock Run Creek | Burr Arch | |
Hillsdale Bridge | Dana, Vermillion County | 1876 | 104 feet (32 m) | Burr Arch | |||
Holton Bridge | ![]() |
Holton, Ripley County | 1884 | 112 feet (34 m) | Otter Creek | Howe truss | |
Houck Bridge | Manhattan, Putnam County | 1880 | 210 feet (64 m) | Big Walnut Creek | Howe truss | This is one of the longest Howe Truss bridges in Indiana. | |
Huffman's Mill Bridge | ![]() |
Huffman, Spencer County | 1884 | 140 feet (43 m) | Anderson River | Burr Arch | |
Irishman Bridge | Youngstown, Vigo County | around 1847 | 75 feet (23 m) | Fowler Lake, branch of Honey Creek | Queen Post | This is the second oldest and the only Queen Post covered bridge left in Indiana. | |
Jackson Bridge | ![]() |
Annapolis, Parke County | 1861 | 207 feet (63 m) | Sugar Creek | Burr Arch | This is the fifth oldest and longest single-span covered bridge in Indiana. |
James Bridge | ![]() |
Lovett, Jennings County | 1887 | 124 feet (38 m) | Big Graham Creek | Howe truss | |
Jeffries Ford Bridge | ![]() |
Bridgeton, Parke County | 1915 | 204 feet (62 m) | Big Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | |
Lancaster Bridge | ![]() |
Owasco, Carroll County | 1872 | 133 feet (41 m) | Wildcat Creek | Howe truss | |
Leatherwood Station Bridge | ![]() |
Billie Creek Village, Rockville, Parke County | 1899 | 72 feet (22 m) | Burr Arch | Located at Billie Creek Village. | |
Longwood Bridge | Connersville, Fayette County | 1884 | 92 feet (28 m) | Burr Arch | |||
Mansfield Bridge | Mansfield, Parke County | 1867 | 247 feet (75 m) | Big Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | This bridge has three spans. Its roof was damaged by winds in 2006 but was fixed in 2007. | |
Marshall Bridge | ![]() |
Tangier, Parke County | 1917 | 56 feet (17 m) | Rush Creek | Burr Arch | |
McAllister Bridge | ![]() |
Catlin, Parke County | 1914 | 126 feet (38 m) | Little Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | |
Mecca Bridge | ![]() |
Mecca, Parke County | 1873 | 150 feet (46 m) | Big Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | |
Medora Bridge | ![]() |
Medora, Jackson County | 1875 | 434 feet (132 m) | East Fork, White River | Burr Arch | This is the longest covered bridge in Indiana! It has three spans. It's been closed to cars since 1972 and is being repaired. |
Melcher Bridge | ![]() |
Montezuma, Parke County | 1896 | 83 feet (25 m) | Leatherwood Creek | Burr Arch | |
Mill Creek Bridge | ![]() |
Tangier, Parke County | 1907 | 92 feet (28 m) | Mill Creek | Burr Arch | |
Moscow Bridge | ![]() |
Moscow, Rush County | 1886 (rebuilt 2010) | 334 feet (102 m) | Big Flat Rock River | Burr Arch | This is the third longest covered bridge in Indiana. It was destroyed by a tornado in 2008 but was rebuilt! |
Narrows Bridge | ![]() |
Marshall, Parke County | 1882 | 121 feet (37 m) | Sugar Creek | Burr Arch | Located near Turkey Run State Park. |
Neet Bridge | ![]() |
Catlin, Parke County | 1904 | 126 feet (38 m) | Little Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | |
Nevins Bridge | ![]() |
Catlin, Parke County | 1920 | 155 feet (47 m) | Little Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | |
New Brownsville Bridge | ![]() |
Columbus, Bartholomew County | 1840 | 93 feet (28 m) | Mill Run Creek | Long Truss | This bridge was moved from its original spot over the Whitewater River. |
Newport Bridge | ![]() |
Newport, Vermillion County | 1885 | 180 feet (55 m) | Little Vermillion River | Burr Arch | |
Norris Ford Bridge | ![]() |
Rushville, Rush County | 1916 | 169 feet (52 m) | Big Flat Rock River | Burr Arch | |
North Manchester Bridge | ![]() |
North Manchester, Wabash County | 1872 | 150 feet (46 m) | Eel River | Smith Type IV Truss | |
Oakalla Bridge | Greencastle, Putnam County | 1875 | 152 feet (46 m) | Big Walnut Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Old Red Bridge | Hickory Ridge, Gibson County | 1875 | 170 feet (52 m) | Big Bayou Creek | Smith Type IV Truss | ||
Pine Bluff Bridge | ![]() |
Carpentersville, Putnam County | 1915 | 211 feet (64 m) | Big Walnut Creek | Howe truss | |
Phillips Bridge | Montezuma, Parke County | 1909 | 43 feet (13 m) | Big Pond Creek | King Post | This is the shortest covered bridge in Indiana! | |
Portland Mills Bridge | ![]() |
Guion, Parke County | 1856 | 130 feet (40 m) | Little Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | This bridge is tied with Crooks Bridge as the fourth oldest in Indiana. |
Potter's Covered Bridge | ![]() |
Noblesville, Hamilton County | 1871 | 259 feet (79 m) | West Fork, White River | Howe truss | |
Ramp Creek Bridge | ![]() |
Nashville, Brown County | 1838 | 96 feet (29 m) | Salt Creek | Double Barreled Burr Arch | This is the oldest and only two-lane covered bridge in Indiana! It's at the entrance to Brown County State Park. |
Richland Creek Bridge | ![]() |
Bloomfield, Greene County | 1883 | 100 feet (30 m) | Richland Creek | Burr Arch | Built by A.M. Kennedy and Sons. |
Roann Bridge | ![]() |
Roann, Wabash County | 1872 | 288 feet (88 m) | Eel River | Howe truss | |
Rob Roy Bridge | ![]() |
Rob Roy, Fountain County | 1860 | 120 feet (37 m) | Big Shawnee Creek | Howe truss | |
Rolling Stone Bridge | Bainbridge, Putnam County | 1915 | 103 feet (31 m) | Big Walnut Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Roseville-Coxville Bridge | ![]() |
Coxville, Parke County | 1910 | 263 feet (80 m) | Big Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | |
Rush Creek Bridge | ![]() |
Tangier, Parke County | 1904 | 77 feet (23 m) | Rush Creek | Burr Arch | |
Salem Crossing Bridge | ![]() |
Zionsville, Boone County | 1972 | ? | Fishback Creek | Howe truss | |
Sanatorium Bridge | ![]() |
Rockville, Parke County | 1913 | 154 feet (47 m) | Little Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | |
Scipio Bridge | ![]() |
Scipio, Jennings County | 1886 | 146 feet (45 m) | Sand Creek | Howe truss | |
Shieldstown Bridge | ![]() |
Shields, Jackson County | 1876 | 331 feet (101 m) | East Fork, White River | Burr Arch | |
Sim Smith Bridge | Montezuma, Parke County | 1883 | 84 feet (26 m) | Leatherwood Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Smith Bridge | ![]() |
Rushville, Rush County | 1877 | 138 feet (42 m) | Big Flat Rock River | Burr Arch | |
Snow Hill Bridge | ![]() |
Rockdale, Franklin County | 1894 | 75 feet (23 m) | Johnson Fork, Whitewater River | Howe truss | |
South Hill Bridge | Universal, Vermillion County | 1879 | 122 feet (37 m) | Brouilletts Creek | Burr Arch | ||
Spencerville Covered Bridge | ![]() |
Spencerville, DeKalb County | 1873 | 160 feet (49 m) | St. Joseph River | Howe truss | |
Stockheughter Bridge | ![]() |
Enochsburg, Franklin County | 1887 | 92 feet (28 m) | Salt Creek | Howe truss | |
Thorpe Ford Bridge | ![]() |
Rosedale, Parke County | 1912 | 163 feet (50 m) | Big Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | |
Traders Point Bridge | Indianapolis, Marion County | 1880 | 89 feet (27 m) | Fishback Creek | Howe truss | ||
Vermont Bridge | ![]() |
Kokomo, Howard County | 1875 | 98 feet (30 m) | Kokomo Creek | Smith Type IV Truss | This bridge was moved from its original spot to Highland Park in Kokomo. |
Wallace Bridge | Wallace, Fountain County | 1871 | 81 feet (25 m) | Sugar Mill Creek | Howe truss | ||
West Union Bridge | ![]() |
West Union, Parke County | 1876 | 315 feet (96 m) | Sugar Creek | Burr Arch | |
Westport Bridge | ![]() |
Westport, Decatur County | 1880 | 115 feet (35 m) | Sand Creek | Burr Arch | |
Wheeling Bridge | ![]() |
Wheeling, Gibson County | 1877 | 164 feet (50 m) | Patoka River | Smith Type IV Truss | |
White Water Canal Aqueduct Bridge | ![]() |
Metamora, Franklin County | 1846 | 81 feet (25 m) | Duck Creek | Burr Arch | Located on the east side of Metamora. |
Wilkins Mill Bridge | ![]() |
Annapolis, Parke County | 1906 | 102 feet (31 m) | Sugar Mill Creek | Burr Arch | |
Williams Bridge | Williams, Lawrence County | 1884 | 373 feet (114 m) | East Fork, White River | Howe truss | This is the second longest covered bridge in Indiana, with two spans. | |
Zacke Cox Bridge | ![]() |
Coxville, Parke County | 1908 | 54 feet (16 m) | Rock Run Creek | Burr Arch |
Bridges That Are No Longer Standing
Here are a few covered bridges that used to be in Indiana but are no longer standing.
Name | Image | Location | Built | Length | Crosses | Design | Cool Facts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bell Ford Bridge | ![]() |
Seymour, Jackson County | 1869 | 330 feet (100 m) | East Fork, White River | Post Truss | Parts of this bridge collapsed in 1999 and 2006. It was the fourth longest and fifth oldest covered bridge in Indiana. |
Bridgeton Bridge (old) | ![]() |
Bridgeton, Parke County | 1868 | 245 feet (75 m) | Big Raccoon Creek | Burr Arch | This bridge was sadly destroyed by fire in April 2005. |
Clinton Bridge | ![]() |
Clinton, Vermillion County | 1852 | 735 feet (224 m) | Wabash River | This huge bridge had four spans and was taken down in 1899. |
See also
- List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Indiana
- List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana
- World Guide to Covered Bridges