Leatherwood Station Covered Bridge

Leatherwood Station Covered Bridge
Harry Wolf Bridge
National Register of Historic Places
Official name: Leatherwood Station Covered Bridge
Named for: Leatherwood Station
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Parke
Township	Adams
City	Billie Creek Village
Crosses	Williams Creek
Coordinates	39°45′27.58″N 87°12′33.05″W / 39.7576611°N 87.2091806°WCoordinates: 39°45′27.58″N 87°12′33.05″W / 39.7576611°N 87.2091806°W
Length	90 ft (27 m) 72ft +8ft overhangs on each end
Width	16 ft (5 m)
Clearance	14 ft (4 m)
Builder	Britton, Joseph
Design	Double Burr arch single-span bridge
Material	Wood
Built	1899 Original Cost <$680
WGCB Number	#14-61-25 [1]
Original Location	Leatherwood Creek SW of Bloomingdale, Indiana
Added to NRHP	Dec 22, 1978
NRHP Ref#	78000397 [2]
MPS	Parke County Covered Bridges TR
Location of the Leatherwood Station Covered Bridge in Indiana
Location of Indiana in the United States

The Leatherwood Station Covered Bridge is a single span double Burr Arch Truss covered bridge structure that was built by Joseph A. Britton & Son in 1899. Originally it had sandstone abutments but when it was moved to Billie Creek Village they were replaced with concrete abutments with sandstone showing.^[3]

History

The bridge was named after the nearby B&O Railroad station at its original location. (39°48′54.44″N 87°13′47.67″W / 39.8151222°N 87.2299083°W) It was also known as the "Hary Wolf Bridge." Wolf owned the land near the bridge. The portal was later modified into a J.J. Daniels Arch while the original angular Britton Arch framing is still visible from the inside.

A letter from J.J. Daniels dated May 18, 1899, says that he had made a bid to build the bridge for $680. Since J.A. Britton was awarded the contract it can be assumed that his bid was less that Daniels.^[1]

According to a Historic American Engineering Record record on the bridge, it was repaired in 1940 by the Works Progress Administration. It was built by Britton who built approximately 40 bridges in three Indiana counties, Parke, Putnam, and Vermillion, during a 33-year period.^[4]

Gallery

Images of Leatherwood Station Covered Bridge prior to being moved to Billie Creek Village.

Detail of splice in lower chord underneath bridge Detail of Northwest portal entrance bracing Exterior view of Southeast portal entrance Detail of Double Burr Arch South 3/4 view Detail of lower chord passing through double Burr Arch rings, viewed from below bridge (Note kerfs in arches) Detail of vertical King Post connection with lower chord, viewed from below with picture flipped 180 (Note kerfs in lower chord) Detail of double Burr Arch ring bearing on stone abutment, truss and lower chord Detail of double Burr Arch ring bearing on stone abutment, truss and lower chord View of abutment from under bridge: Detail of both double Burr Arches beating on stone abutment (Note damage to abutment) View from inside bridge, looking Southeast, showing upper wind bracing and ties, double Burr Arch rings, and truss framing

See also

• List of Registered Historic Places in Indiana
• Parke County Covered Bridges
• Parke County Covered Bridge Festival

References

1. http://www.indianacrossings.org/bridgeLinks/14-61-25.html
2. Staff (2007-01-23). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
3. "Leatherwood Station Covered Bridge (#25)". Parke County Incorporated / Parke County Convention and Visitors Commission. Retrieved 2012-10-18.
4. John M. Kelly. "Leatherwood Station Covered Bridge". Historic American Engineering Record.

External links

• Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. IN-40, "Leatherwood Station Covered Bridge, Spanning Leatherwood Creek (moved to Billie Creek Village), Montezuma, Parke County, IN"