Narrows Covered Bridge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Narrows Covered Bridge
The Narrows of Sugar Creek (Turkey Run State Park)
Coordinates	39°53′27.68″N 87°11′8.46″W
Carries	Narrows Road
Crosses	Sugar Creek, Parke County, Indiana
Locale	Turkey Run State Park, Parke, Indiana, United States
Official name	The Narrows Covered Bridge
Named for	nearby "Narrows" on Sugar Creek.
Maintained by	State of Indiana Department of Natural Resources
WGCB Number	14-61-36
Characteristics
Design	National Register of Historic Places
Total length	137 ft (42 m)121ft +8ft overhangs on each end
Width	16.5 ft (5.0 m)
Height	12.5 ft (3.8 m)
History
Constructed by	J. A. Britton
Construction cost	Original Cost $3,400
Rebuilt	1977
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
MPS	Parke County Covered Bridges TR
NRHP reference No.	78000404
Added to NRHP	Dec 22, 1978

The Narrows Covered Bridge crosses Sugar Creek at the eastern edge of Turkey Run State Park and is a single span Burr Arch Truss covered bridge structure that was built by Joseph A. Britton in 1882.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

History

The Narrows Covered Bridge was built to replace the previous bridge that Salmon Lusk had built in 1847, which itself had been built to replace the bridge he'd built in 1840. The first bridge was destroyed in 1847 and the second in 1875.

The Parke County Commissioners didn't decided to replace the bridge for several years and by then iron bridges were becoming popular. Finally, on August 24, 1882, the first bids opened. These included: Smith Iron Works (iron, $6,680), Wrought Iron Bridge Co. (iron, $5,706), King Iron Bridge Co. (iron, $2,904), Columbia Bridge Works (iron, $3,288), G. F. Haynes (wood, $2,704), and J. A. Britton (wood, $3,750 total). Except for Mr. Britton's bid, the others may or may not include the cost for the abutments or other costs. At any rate, all of the bids were rejected.

J. A. Britton was later awarded the contract for $3,400. This bridge has been acclaimed as the first in J. A. Britton's illustrious covered bridge career. Some purists though have criticized the pointed arch joints and it can be noted that J. A. Britton built a Billie Creek Bridge in 1880, but it was probably an open bridge.

Joseph A. Britton's first wife died while he was working on the Narrows Bridge. He later met his second wife, who was living at a farm not far from the narrows, while working on the bridge.

Gallery

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  South portal includes information about the bridge

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  Here the arch is clearly visible