Jeffries Ford Covered Bridge

Jeffries Ford Covered Bridge
Coordinates 39°37′48″N 87°12′38″W / 39.6300°N 87.2105°W / 39.6300; -87.2105Coordinates: 39°37′48″N 87°12′38″W / 39.6300°N 87.2105°W / 39.6300; -87.2105
Carries Jeffries Ford Road (C.R. S150E)
Crosses Big Raccoon Creek
Locale Raccoon, Indiana
Named for Jeffries Ford
Owner Parke County Commissioners
Parke County
WGCB Number 14-61-03x
Characteristics
Design Burr arch truss bridge
Material Wood
Total length 222 feet (68 m)
Width 16 feet (4.9 m)[1]
Height 13 feet (4.0 m)
History
Constructed by Joseph A. Britton
Opened 1915 (1915)
Collapsed April 2, 2002 (2002-04-02) (arson)
Jeffries Ford Bridge
MPS Parke County Covered Bridges TR
NRHP Reference # 78000394[2]
Added to NRHP December 22, 1978 (1978-12-22)
Jeffries Ford Covered Bridge
Location in Indiana

The Jeffries Ford Covered Bridge was southwest of Bridgeton, Indiana. The double-span Burr Arch covered bridge structure was built by J.A. Britton in 1915 and destroyed by arson on April 2, 2002.[1]

History

Construction

At the time the Jeffries Ford Bridge was built Joseph A. Britton was 75 years old. Throughout his years as a bridge builder Britton had been assisted by his family and this bridge was no different, some of his sons, four by his first wife and five by his second, would have done the actual construction work. His son Eugene Britton built the Bowsher Ford Covered Bridge the same year.[3]

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.[2]

Destruction

Just a few weeks before the Jeffries Ford Covered Bridge was burnt down by arsonist the Jackson Covered Bridge had been damaged. On April 2, 2002 the Jeffries Ford Bridge was burnt to a total loss. The residents of Parke County wanted the bridge rebuilt and tried to raise enough funds to do it but with the burning of the Bridgeton Covered Bridge the decision was made to rebuild the Bridgeton Bridge and replace the Jeffries Ford Bridge with a modern concrete bridge.[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Jeffries Ford Covered Bridge". coveredbridges.com. Parke County Convention & Visitors Commission. Archived from the original on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  2. 1 2 National Park Service (2007-01-23). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  3. ↑ "Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD)" (Searchable database). Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. Retrieved 2016-06-01. Note: This includes Charles Felkner (December 1977). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Parke County Covered Bridge Historic District" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-06-01. and Site map.
  4. ↑ "Jeffries Ford Covered Bridge 14-61-03x". Bridge Hunters. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
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