Rating:
10 votes

Monkey Jack Bridge

Henry County, Indiana

Photos 

Photo taken by Anthony Dillon in September 2006

Enlarge

BH Photo #116632

Map 

Facts 

Overview
Pony truss bridge over Big Blue River on CR 225 West
Location
Henry County, Indiana
Status
Closed to all traffic with deck missing
History
Built in 1910, closed in 1970's
Builders
- Burk Construction Co. of New Castle, Indiana
- Pan American Bridge Co. of New Castle, Indiana
Design
pinned Pratt pony truss
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 63.0 ft.
Total length: 64.9 ft.
Deck width: 13.4 ft.
Also called
Ratliff Bridge
Approximate latitude, longitude
+39.88719, -85.42880   (decimal degrees)
39°53'14" N, 85°25'44" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
16/634340/4416418 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
New Castle West
Inventory numbers
INNBI 3300083 (Indiana bridge number on the National Bridge Inventory)
BH 16299 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Abandoned (3,232)
Big Blue River (Indiana) (20)
Built 1910 (1,071)
Built during 1910s (9,065)
Burk Construction Co. (16)
Henry County, Indiana (65)
Indiana (4,340)
Owned by county (19,343)
 Pan American Bridge Co. of New Castle, Indiana (37)
Pony truss (15,351)
Pratt pony truss (3,282)
Pratt truss (8,299)
Span length 50-75 feet (9,325)
Total length 50-75 feet (8,774)
Truss (30,352)
Wooden deck (5,925)

Update Log 

  • November 15, 2018: New photos from John Key
  • January 28, 2017: New photos from John Key
  • December 13, 2016: New photo from John Key
  • December 11, 2016: New photo from John Key
  • December 4, 2016: New photos from John Key
  • February 15, 2010: Updated by Anthony Dillon: Added GPS coordinates
  • July 6, 2008: Updated by Anthony Dillon
  • July 5, 2008: Updated by Anthony Dillon: common name, builder,truss type, and status

Sources 

  • Tony Dillon - spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com
  • John Key
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Comments 

Monkey Jack Bridge
Posted January 28, 2017, by Tony Dillon (spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com)

Mike... You should have hollered being as you were in my neck of the woods! I haven't been over in a couple years, but the last I knew the gate was unlocked. The county still maintains right-of-way on that road as there are utilities down it. A man that lives by it supposedly claims he owns it, but doesn't!

Monkey Jack Bridge
Posted January 28, 2017, by Mike Daffron (daffronmike [at] yahoo [dot] com)

HA!!! I was just here Saturday Jan 28 myself! John, you probably passed me. Couldn't find anyone around to let me go check it out, so I'll need to go back another time (Boo Hoo). The one pix I got was horribly distant, so...

Monkey Jack Bridge
Posted March 30, 2009, by anthony Dillon (spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com)

There has been some interest in possibly making this bridge and road into a trail extension. I too would like to see it restored.

Monkey Jack Bridge
Posted March 30, 2009, by sarah

I am so in to monkey jack bridge. it would be nice if you guys would restore it. Because it is was one of the coolest bridges ever. Or open up the lane and let people walk down there. hope you open it so people can see the coolenst in it like i do.