With 32 historic wooden bridges, Parke County, Indiana county has more covered bridges than anywhere else in the nation.
Parke County, Indiana, has 32 claims to fame. Not celebrities, or a winning baseball team, but covered bridges. These historic structures draw many visitors, especially in the summer and fall.
Several decades before Clint Eastwood snapped imaginary photos of the bridges of Madison County, Iowa, the bridges of Parke County, Indiana were famous. This Hoosier county has more historic covered bridges than any place in the nation. Each is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Other nearby counties can claim covered bridges, but Parke County easily has the most.
The bridges were built between 1856 and 1920, a simpler time when cell phones and the Internet were inconceivable. It was an age when boys in faded overalls found great adventure daring each other to cross the dark expanse of bridge after nightfall. Perhaps it's that same nostalgia which makes people fall in love with these austere, yet attractive structures.
Many pose the question, why cover the bridges? The bridges were roofed and sided for purely practical reasons. Because they were constructed of wood, and vulnerable to rot, they were covered for protection. Wood was the easiest and most abundant resource available. Often, they were the largest covered structures in a community, hence they were also used for revival meetings, weddings and other community functions.
For many whose roots are in this area, the covered bridges evoke strong memories. Youngsters used to chant, "Make a wish and hold your breath as we go through. If you can hold it all the way your wish will come true!" With a short bridge this was fine, but the longer ones were a challenge! Along the inside timbers, love-sick, country swains would crave their initials with hearts and arrows, announcing "Sam loves Mary" or I love you, marry me Rebecca."
The upper rafters provided a dry, safe haven for industrious robins building their nests. Still in their isolated, rural setting, the bridges are extraordinary for their simplicity and their longevity.
The bridges have become the focal point of an annual celebration known as the Covered Bridge Festival held in mid-October. In past surveys, this festival has been rated among the top twenty festivals in the nation. Autumn is an especially good time to see the bridges, most painted brilliant red, set against a montage of fall color.
Headquartered in the small town of Rockville, the festival hosts country and gospel music concerts and guided bridge tours, among it's extensive list of events. As many as one million people regularly visit the area during this 10-day festival.
Local people work all year to fill the big tents with art work and hand-made crafts at the farmers market. Country cooking abounds, should you decide to sample funnel cakes or sweet persimmon pudding. Slow cooked ham and beans, with corn bread are perennial favorites.
Every town and village within the county participates in the festival in its own way. The town of Bridgeton's covered bridge and grain mill open the way to a village filled with shops and vendors. The residents of Mecca invite you to dance in their covered bridge over Big Raccoon Creek. While Tangier offers their famous buried roast beef.
Any time of year, you can obtain a free, color-coded map which provides visitors with five easy routes to view the bridges. This option allows you to go at your own convenience and at your own pace. If you take the brown route, beware, the Sims Smith Bridge has the reputation of being haunted by a mysterious phantom riding in a horse and buggy. The buggy enters the bridge but vanishes before reaching the other side! Others claim to have seen the ghostly vision of a Native American woman on this bridge.
Canoeing is a popular way to enjoy the scenery and beauty of the bridges. Sugar Valley Canoe Trips, (765) 597-2364 offers a variety of trips on the water from one hour to overnight canoe adventures. Another option is Turkey Run Canoe Trips at (765) 597-2456.
If you're a biking enthusiast you may want to participate in the Covered Bridge Bike Tour. Rain or shine, it takes place annually on the first Saturday in May. The course is flat to rolling with several substantial climbs on paved roads. You'll cross seven bridges and pass by seven others while seeing the countryside. All pre-registered riders are provided a lunch buffet and proceeds from the ride go to local students for scholarships.
Billie Creek Village lies in the midst of the covered bridge region, one mile east of Rockville on Highway 36. The village is a re-created turn-of-the-century town, featuring thirty historic buildings, including three covered bridges and a farmstead. You'll also find craft demonstrations, horse-pulled wagon rides and a selection of handmade quilts.
Once the U.S. had 10,000 wooden bridges of this type, today, less than 900 remain, primarily due to arson, flooding, natural deterioration and the ravages of the Civil War. Maintaining and restoring these fragile wooden bridges is no small task. One careless match or lightening strike can destroy a bridge forever. Preservation of the bridges of Indiana is an on-going project, thanks to two organizations, the Indiana Covered Bridge Society and a localized effort called the Save The Bridges Fund.
To tour several of the bridges by vehicle, pick up a color-coded map at the tourist informaton office in Rockville. You can select a route and follow the colored line shown on the map, going at your leisure. Both the red and yellow routes for example, have five covered bridges. The black route has the most, with six.
For more information on the festival, the fund or the bridges call the Parke County Convention and Visitors Bureau at (765) 569-5226.
