Melcher Covered Bridge facts for kids
The Melcher Covered Bridge is a special old bridge in Parke County, Indiana, United States. It's also known by a few other names like the "Klondyke Covered Bridge," the "Marion Covered Bridge," or the "Leatherwood Covered Bridge." This bridge crosses over Leatherwood Creek, just east of Montezuma, Indiana.
It's a type of bridge called a Burr Arch Truss covered bridge. This means it has a strong arch design hidden inside its wooden walls. A famous builder named Joseph J. Daniels built it in 1896. Because of its history and unique design, the Melcher Covered Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. This list helps protect important historical places in the United States.
Quick facts for kids Melcher Covered Bridge |
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| Coordinates | 39°47′20.76″N 87°20′6.35″W / 39.7891000°N 87.3350972°W |
| Carries | Strawberry Road |
| Crosses | Leatherwood Creek, Indiana |
| Locale | Parke, Indiana, United States |
| Official name | Melcher Covered Bridge |
| Other name(s) | Klondyke Bridge, Marion Bridge, and Leatherwood Bridge |
| Named for | Melcher Railroad Station |
| Maintained by | Parke County |
| NBI Number | 6100140 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | National Register of Historic Places |
| Total length | 97 ft (30 m)83ft +7ft overhangs on each end |
| Width | 16 ft (4.9 m) |
| Height | 12.5 ft (3.8 m) |
| History | |
| Constructed by | J. J. Daniels |
| Rebuilt | 1977 |
| MPS | Parke County Covered Bridges TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000402 |
| Added to NRHP | Dec 22, 1978 |
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History of the Bridge
The Melcher Covered Bridge has a long and interesting past. It was built in 1896 by a well-known bridge builder, J. J. Daniels. Over the years, people have called it by several different names.
Why So Many Names?
The bridge got its main name, "Melcher Covered Bridge," from a nearby train stop called Melcher Station. This station was part of an old railway line. Two different railroads used to cross paths just west of the bridge.
Another name, "Marion Covered Bridge," came from the Marion Brick Company. This company was located south and west of the bridge. It's thought that the bridge might have been built to help people get to Montezuma, a town about two miles west.
The name "Klondyke Covered Bridge" is quite interesting. It comes from a small community nearby called Klondyke. This name was inspired by the famous Klondike Gold Rush in Canada. But instead of gold, the "rush" in this area was for clay, which was used to make bricks.
Finally, the name "Leatherwood Covered Bridge" was also used. However, this name could be confusing because there was another bridge called the Leatherwood Station Covered Bridge and a place called Leatherwood Ford. To avoid mix-ups, people usually stick to the Melcher name.
How the Bridge Changed Over Time
Even though J. J. Daniels built the bridge, the entrance parts, called "portals," don't look exactly like his usual designs anymore. These portals were changed later to look more like those built by other builders, William Hendricks and Joseph A. Britton.
The original base of the bridge, called the "abutments," was made from a type of rock called shale and cut limestone. Over time, some of this stone started to crumble. To make the bridge strong again, cement was poured around the original stone. This helped to keep the bridge standing safely for many more years.
