Melcher Covered Bridge
| Melcher Covered Bridge | |
| Klondyke Bridge, Marion Bridge, and Leatherwood Bridge | |
| National Register of Historic Places | |
 | |
| Official name: Melcher Covered Bridge | |
| Named for: Melcher Railroad Station | |
| Country |  United States |
|---|---|
| State |  Indiana |
| County | Parke |
| Township | Reserve |
| Road | Strawberry Road |
| Crosses | Leatherwood Creek, Indiana |
| Coordinates | 39°47′20.76″N 87°20′6.35″W / 39.7891000°N 87.3350972°WCoordinates: 39°47′20.76″N 87°20′6.35″W / 39.7891000°N 87.3350972°W |
| Length | 97 ft (30 m) 83ft +7ft overhangs on each end |
| Width | 16 ft (5 m) [1] |
| Clearance | 12.5 ft (4 m) |
| Builder | Daniels, J.J. |
| Design | Burr Arch truss single-span bridge |
| Material | Wood |
| Built | 1896 |
| - Rebuilt | 1977 |
| Owned and Maintained by | Parke County |
| NBI Number | 6100140[2] |
| WGCB Number | #14-61-26 [3] |
| Added to NRHP | Dec 22, 1978 |
| NRHP Ref# | 78000402 [4] |
| MPS | Parke County Covered Bridges TR |
  Location of the Melcher Bridge in Indiana
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 Location of Indiana in the United States
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The Melcher Covered Bridge, also known as the "Klondyke Covered Bridge", "Marion Covered Bridge", or the "Leatherwood Covered Bridge" crosses Leatherwood Creek east of Montezuma, Indiana, and is a single-span Burr Arch Truss covered bridge structure that was built by Joseph J. Daniels in 1896.[1]
History
The name "Melcher Covered Bridge" comes from the nearby Melcher Station which was originally on the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railway (1846–1917). The CH&D and the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad crossed just west of the bridge. [5]
The name "Marion Covered Bridge" comes from the Marion Brick Company which was south and west of the bridge. The bridge may have been built to provide road access to Montezuma located two miles west. [3]
The name "Klondyke Covered Bridge" comes from the nearby community of Klondyke, named after the Klondike Gold Rush, but in this case it was clay for bricks.[5][1]
The name "Leatherwood Covered Bridge" was used but would cause confusion with Leatherwood Station Covered Bridge and Leatherwood Ford.[3][1]
While the bridge was built by J.J. Daniels the portals no longer have his trademark portal arches. The portals have been modified to closer resemble those built by William Hendricks and Joseph A. Britton on their shorter bridges.[3][1]
The original shale of the shale and hewn limestone abutments, which matches stone in the creek, has crumbled so cement was poured around the original stone.[1]
See also
- List of Registered Historic Places in Indiana
- Parke County Covered Bridges
- Parke County Covered Bridge Festival
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Melcher Covered Bridge (#24)". Parke County Incorporated / Parke County Convention and Visitors Commission. Retrieved 2012-10-18.
- ↑ http://nationalbridges.com/
- 1 2 3 4 http://www.indianacrossings.org/bridgeLinks/14-61-26.html
- ↑ Staff (2007-01-23). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
- 1 2 http://www.indianagenweb.com/inparke/Maps/1905ParkeCountyAtlasReserveTownship.jpg
