Built by J.J. Daniels in 1896 (one of his nine covered bridges in Parke County) to carry Strawberry…read moreRoad over Leatherwood Creek west of Rockville, this Single Span Burr Arch Truss was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. #24 on the Parke County Covered Bridge Map, it was closed to traffic when we viewed it in early November of 2022.

This covered bridge is fairly average for Parke County. Middle length (99 feet with an 81' span…read moreover the Leatherwood Creek), middle age (built in 1896), and uses the standard red and white paint scheme with black lettering. It also is another Burr arch-truss structure like most of them. The bridge, also known as "Marion" and "Klondyke", is in pretty good shape having undergone two restorations (1977 and again in 1995). This is one of the more isolated bridges along the "brown" route. It isn't far from a couple bridges to the south "as the crow flies". The problem is there aren't many county roads in the area. If you are coming from Montezuma, head east on US 36 about 1 mile and turn north onto county road N 600W. Go about 500 ft and turn east on Strawberry Road. Follow that about a mile to the bridge. The roads are paved. From Rockville, there are backroads you can take, but I think it easiest to take US 36 west about 7 miles to N 600W. Follow the directions above to find the bridge. There is a bit of a gravel pull off, but I would still caution you to be aware of traffic since the bridge is still in service. Review #3217

The Phillips, or Arabia covered bridge, carries Arabia Road across Rocky Run Creek (alias Big Pond…read moreCreek), This four segment King Post Truss design was put up in 1909 by J.A. Britton. It is one of a dozen covered bridges that he built in Parke County, and it has the distinction at 43 feet in length of being the shortest of the 31 surviving bridges. In the National Register of Historic Places since 1978, it is #22 on the Parke Country Covered Bridge Map. You will find it about six miles west of Rockville, just off US 36.

One of the smaller covered bridges of Parke County can be found on the "Brown" Route designed by…read morethe County for exploring their multiple bridges. The Phillips Covered Bridge is only 60 feet in length and spans 39 feet over Rocky Run. Though it has the standard Parke County colors of red walls, with white faces and black lettering, the bridge is a rarity in these parts. It doesn't use the standard Burr Arch-truss support system. Instead, it uses a multiple Kingpost through truss system. No long curved arch in this one. Just lots of sturdy vertical beams. To view this drive through bridge, take US 36 west from Rockville to CR W 40N (about 4.5 miles). Take that to about a third of a mile to Arabia Road. The bridge is about 400 feet to the south. The road is paved! The bridge is less than a mile away from Sim Smith Covered Bridge which is further west on W 40N. Review #3215

This brief marker points out the settlement history of the area and an early treaty to acquire the…read morelane from the Native Americans. The marker reads, "The famous Indian Reserve Line of 1809 which began at the mouth of Big Raccoon Creek and ended on the Ohio boundary crossed this point." There is parking in the church parking lot. Also known as the Treaty of Fort Wayne, the 1809 treaty obtained nearly 30 million acres of Native American land for the settlers of Illinois and Indiana. The treaty led to a war with the United States begun by Shawnee leader Tecumseh and other dissenting tribesmen in what came to be called "Tecumseh's War". [Review 1293 of 2024 - 170 in Indiana - 22316 overall]

This Single Span Double Burr Arch Truss carries Bloomingdale Road across Sugar Creek. Paving makes…read morethis bridge easy to access. It is one of nine covered bridges put up by J.J. Daniels (1861) in Parke County, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It is #28 on the Parke County Covered Bridge Map.

Dating back to the Civil War, this Burr Arch-truss covered bridge was built in 1861. This is one…read moreof the oldest and longest bridges in Parke County. It is also unusual because it uses an all white paint scheme with black lettering, not the red walls that are found throughout the county. The bridge is still in service but requires slow, walking pace driving for safety as well as avoiding a problem with oncoming traffic. Jackson Bridge has an overall length of 227 feet and spans Sugar Creek 198 feet. It is located about ten miles north of Rockville, IN via US-41, then a short county road jog over to Bdale (Bloomingdale) Road northwest for the remaining distance. There is no direct route from Turkey Run State Park, but a slight detour south on US 41 down to 625 N will take you west to Bdale Road where you can then visit the bridge. Review #3222

It's a new bridge but still done in that classic style. We took this in before the Covered Bridge…read moreFestival so we could enjoy the beautiful area before the crowds. If you come during the festival this place is filled with activities and vendors

Such a pretty view of a little waterfall near this old mill! There's also a historic marker nearby…read more Phone service connectivity is a major issue when touring Parke County, so it was a huge perk to get free wifi at this location as I planned my next stop.

I'm on a quest to visit all the covered bridges in Indiana. Covered bridges connect us with the…read morepast. The Leatherwood Station Covered Bridge was built by the famous Indiana bridge builder, J. A. Britton in 1899. The Burr Arch bridge originally crossed Leatherwood Creek at Leatherwood Station, Indiana. The bridge was moved to Billie Creek Village, where it stands today and is open to traffic (sometimes). I've walked across several of Britton's bridges now, and they seem familiar to me. Britton built approximately 40 bridges in Indiana during his lifetime. This 72' bridge is in exceptional condition. The bridge is part of the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival, but I prefer to visit off season to avoid the crowds. There is free parking at Billie Creek Village. There are three covered bridges at the site, each with its own story. Interesting side fact, leatherwood is a tree with a pliable bark that was used by indigenous people and early settlers to make rope and other useful materials. I assume that there are leatherwood trees along Leatherwood Creek.

This is one of three covered bridges inside Billie Creek Village. J.A. Britton put up this Single…read moreSpan Burr Arch Truss design in 1899 to span Leatherwood Creek at the Leatherwood train station. The bridge was moved to its current location over Williams Creek in 1981. Also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, this is #25 on the Parke County Covered Bridge Map.

This is a fully operational 140 year old covered bridge spanning Little Vermillion River between…read morethe towns of Newport and Quaker! The bridge was built in 1885 by Joseph J. Daniels under a pbid of $6800. The Burr Arch design spans 180 feet plus 15 additional feet of overhang. The actual arches are unusual in that there are 4 beams on each side of the bridge (8 total) that make up the arches instead of the usual 4. The bridge is one of the longest Burr Arch designed in Indiana. The bridge has been restored several times replacing the floor, roof and some siding. In 1994, the bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The bridge was originally named Morehead Bridge because it was built over a ford on the Samual Morehead farm. At some point the name changed to Newport Covered Bridge. I walked crossed the bridge and peered out the center window. The countryside was peaceful and lovely. I figure the old bridge must have stories. There is no parking or other amenities at the bridge. There is a historic marker. The one-lane bridge is worth a visit if you like architecture, bridges and history. The trip is an easy three mile round trip off of IN63.

Still in Parke County but outside Rockville, this is another Joseph A. Britton covered bridge that…read morehe completed in 1913. It is a single-span Burr Arch structure. This is originally the site of two other bridges that had been washed away before this one, the State Sanatorium Covered Bridge, was moved to here. It is open to traffic But I opted to take the bypass with the Sprinter van. The road to the east is hard packed dirt and not a great run. Total length of 170 feed with a clearance of 12.5 feet, it would have been fine for my heavy van but I thought, let's not today. [Review 1297 of 2024 - 174 in Indiana - 22320 overall]

This Single Span Burr Arch Truss originally crossed Little Raccoon Creek on State Sanatorium…read moreproperty, about a mile downstream from its current location. It was moved in 2008 to carry County Road 100N across Little Raccoon Creek. #1 on the Parke County Covered Bridge Map and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, the bridge was built by J.A. Britton in 1913-- one of the twelve covered bridges that he constructed in the county.

The Vermillion County Historical Society is raising funds to renovate this fabulous former…read moresheriff's home with attached jail. The Italianate Style home was built in 1868 and housed the Vermillion County Sheriff and family. In 1896, the Romanesque Revival jail addition was added at the rear of the home. The facility was operational until 1992 (over 100 years!) when the operations were moved to a modern facility. In 1999, the structure became a National Register of Historic Places. Tours of the facility are available for $3 when Historical Society staff is at the site. There was no staff present during our visit, so we walked around outside. The Society is asking for donations to help with renovations. I love visiting these sheriff's homes/jails, which were prevalent in county seat towns throughout Indiana. Each location holds different local stories. There is street parking around the structure and a historical marker. I will return to visit the inside after checking with the Historical Society.