Portland Mills Covered Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Portland Mills Covered Bridge |
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Portland Mills Covered Bridge
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| Coordinates | 39°51′38.67″N 87°5′19.66″W / 39.8607417°N 87.0887944°W |
| Carries | C.R. E650N |
| Crosses | Little Raccoon Creek |
| Locale | Parke, Indiana, United States |
| Official name | Portland Mills Covered Bridge |
| Named for | Portland Mills |
| Maintained by | Parke County |
| NBI Number | 6100112 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | National Register of Historic Places |
| Total length | 146 ft (45 m)130ft +8ft overhangs on each end |
| Width | 16 ft (4.9 m) |
| Height | 13 ft (4.0 m) |
| History | |
| Constructed by | Wolf, Henry |
| MPS | Parke County Covered Bridges TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000408 |
| Added to NRHP | Dec 22, 1978 |
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The Portland Mills Covered Bridge is a really old and special bridge in Parke County, Indiana. It's the second oldest covered bridge there, built way back in 1856. This bridge is a single-span Burr Arch Truss type. This means it has a special design with arches and trusses working together to make it strong. A builder named Henry Wolf constructed it.
This historic bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. This important list helps protect special places in the United States.
Contents
A Look Back: The Bridge's Story
The Village of Portland Mills
The small village of Portland Mills started in 1821. A person named Samuel Steele settled there. He worked hard to clear land for farming. Later, in 1825, he built a mill on Big Raccoon Creek.
This mill used a water turbine to grind grain. It also had a sawmill. Over the years, the mill had many different owners. One owner, Wesley Holman, built a new three-story mill. It had a strong sandstone foundation and modern machines.
Where the Bridge Began
The Portland Mills Covered Bridge was built in 1856. It was originally located near the village of Portland Mills. Some old maps from 1874 suggest it might have been in the southeast part of Greene Township.
The exact spot where it first stood is now lost. This is because of a big flood in 1961. The flood led to the creation of what is now called Cecil M. Harden Lake.
A New Home for the Bridge
In January 1961, the bridge had to be moved. This was because of the flooding from Big Raccoon Creek. The flood was part of building Mansfield Lake, which is now Cecil M. Harden Lake.
The Portland Mills Covered Bridge was moved to its current spot. It replaced another bridge called the Dooley Station Covered Bridge. That bridge had been burned down in 1960.
Falling Apart and Being Saved
After being moved, the Portland Mills Covered Bridge started to fall apart. Sections of its roof and siding went missing. This allowed rain to get in and cause damage. One corner was even damaged by fire.
The bridge was closed in 1982. People had to use a shallow water crossing, called a ford, to get around it. By the 1990s, the bridge was in very bad shape. It was in danger of collapsing completely.
Luckily, help came! Money from a grant, local groups, and donations helped save it. The bridge was fully restored to its original look in 1996. After all that work, the bridge was even reopened for traffic!
Gallery
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Collapsed portal prior to the 1996 renovation
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Extensive missing siding prior to the 1996 renovation
