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West Union Covered Bridge (Indiana) facts for kids

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Not to be confused with West Union Covered Bridge (West Virginia).
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West Union Covered Bridge
Westunionbridge.jpg
West Union Covered Bridge
Coordinates 39°51′17.75″N 87°20′8.75″W / 39.8549306°N 87.3357639°W / 39.8549306; -87.3357639
Carries Tow Path Road (C.R. 525W)
Crosses Sugar Creek, Parke County, Indiana
Locale Parke, Indiana, United States
Official name West Union Covered Bridge
Named for West Union, Indiana
Maintained by Parke County
WGCB Number
  1. 14-61-27
Characteristics
Design National Register of Historic Places
Total length 337 ft (103 m)310ft +10ft +17ft overhangs on each end
Width 17 ft (5.2 m)
Height 14.5 ft (4.4 m)
History
Designer J. J. Daniels
Constructed by J. J. Daniels
MPS Parke County Covered Bridges TR
NRHP reference No. 78000414
Added to NRHP Dec 22, 1978
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The West Union Covered Bridge is a special old bridge near Montezuma, Indiana. It was built in 1876 by Joseph J. Daniels. This bridge is famous because it's the longest covered bridge still standing in Parke County. It's also one of the best examples of a "Burr Arch Truss" design in the whole country.

Because it's so important, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Later, in 2016, it was even named a National Historic Landmark!

A Look Back: Bridge History

The West Union Covered Bridge is actually the third bridge to be built in this spot. The first bridge was called the Star Mill Covered Bridge. Then, the Harrison Covered Bridge replaced it. But the Harrison bridge got damaged in 1876. That's why the West Union Covered Bridge was built. It was finished in September 1876.

The road over the bridge was once part of the "Indiana State Highway." This highway was created in 1827. It connected the cities of Fort Wayne and Terre Haute. The West Union Bridge, along with the Armiesburg Covered Bridge, was used by stagecoaches traveling to Lafayette.

West Union Town

Not much is left of the old town of West Union today. You can only find a few houses there now. The school, post office, and railroad are all gone.

The Wabash and Erie Canal used to run just west of the town. There was also a smaller canal that connected to Sugar Creek, west of the bridge. The Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad also crossed Sugar Creek to the east of the bridge. It then passed West Union on the west side. Today, there's not much left to show where the railroad or canal once were. Farmers now use most of that land for their crops.

Gallery

  • GENERAL VIEW FROM NORTHWEST. - West Union Bridge, Spanning Sugar Creek, CR 525W, West Union, Parke County, IN HAER IN-105-1

    View of Northwest portal.

  • ELEVATION OF SOUTH ABUTMENT FROM NORTH WITHOUT SCALE. - West Union Bridge, Spanning Sugar Creek, CR 525W, West Union, Parke County, IN HAER IN-105-9

    Detail of Southeast abutment with view of double Burr Arch rings bearing on abutment and lower truss details.

  • OBLIQUE VIEW OF INTERIOR ARCH. - West Union Bridge, Spanning Sugar Creek, CR 525W, West Union, Parke County, IN HAER IN-105-15

    Interior view of double Burr Arches, Kings Posts, and upper truss.

  • VIEW OF INTERIOR FROM NORTH. - West Union Bridge, Spanning Sugar Creek, CR 525W, West Union, Parke County, IN HAER IN-105-13

    View looking Southeast of interior of bridge.

  • ELEVATION OF SOUTH PORTAL WITH SCALE. - West Union Bridge, Spanning Sugar Creek, CR 525W, West Union, Parke County, IN HAER IN-105-4

    View of Southeast portal. (Note new bridge to far left)

  • VIEW FROM EAST WINDOW LOOKING EAST. - West Union Bridge, Spanning Sugar Creek, CR 525W, West Union, Parke County, IN HAER IN-105-14

    View out of east window looking east.

  • DETAIL OF SOUTHEAST CORNER OF ABUTMENT WITHOUT SCALE. - West Union Bridge, Spanning Sugar Creek, CR 525W, West Union, Parke County, IN HAER IN-105-11

    Detail of Southeast of abutment.

  • VIEW OF SOUTH PORTAL, FROM SOUTH. - West Union Bridge, Spanning Sugar Creek, CR 525W, West Union, Parke County, IN HAER IN-105-3

    View of Southeast portal.

  • VIEW OF CENTER OF ABUTMENT FROM SOUTH. - West Union Bridge, Spanning Sugar Creek, CR 525W, West Union, Parke County, IN HAER IN-105-12

    View of center abutment from Southeast abutment.

  • GENERAL VIEW FROM SOUTH. - West Union Bridge, Spanning Sugar Creek, CR 525W, West Union, Parke County, IN HAER IN-105-2

    View of Southwest side of bridge from South.

  • ELEVATION OF WALL INSCRIPTION, SHOWING 1914 DATE AND NAMES OF COUNTY OFFICIALS AT TIME. - West Union Bridge, Spanning Sugar Creek, CR 525W, West Union, Parke County, IN HAER IN-105-7

    Detail of wall inscription showing 1914 date and names of county officials at time of building.

  • OBLIQUE VIEW OF SOUTH CONCRETE APPROACH WALL, BUILT IN 1914 AFTER A FLOOD DAMAGED ORIGINAL WALLS. - West Union Bridge, Spanning Sugar Creek, CR 525W, West Union, Parke County, IN HAER IN-105-6

    View of wall, built in 1914 after flood damaged original walls, and Southeast portal.

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