Longwood Covered Bridge 14-21-01
Description
As the Longwood Covered bridge approached it's 100th year, the condition of the span could only be considered dilapidated. It originally crossed Williams Creek on County Road 400 near Glenwood and was named for it's proximity to the Longwood Station on the B&O Railroad. As the last remaining of at least 4 Kennedy built covered bridges in the county, it's future seemed bleak. But in 1984, on it's 100th anniversary, it was moved to Roberts Park in Connersville. Apparently, a high school building trades class was largely responsible for saving this landmark that was nearly lost.Facts
- Overview
- Burr arch truss bridge over depression in Roberts Park
- Location
- Connersville, Fayette County, Indiana
- Status
- Open to pedestrians
- History
- Built in 1884 over Williams Creek and moved to Roberts Park in 1984.
- Builder
- - Kennedy Brothers
- Design
- Burr arch-truss
- Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 92.0 ft.
Total length: 108.0 ft.
Deck width: 16.0 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 13.5 ft.
- Recognition
- Posted to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +39.66893, -85.12849 (decimal degrees)
39°40'08" N, 85°07'43" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 16/660525/4392686 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Connersville
- Inventory numbers
- WGCB 14-21-01 (World Guide to Covered Bridges number)
NRHP 81000011 (National Register of Historic Places reference number)
BH 45201 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Update Log
- October 31, 2020: New photo from Ed Hollowell
- October 7, 2020: New photos from Ed Hollowell
- September 24, 2020: New photo from David Case
- June 13, 2018: New photos from Linda Daffron
- February 10, 2016: New photo from Ed Hollowell
- December 7, 2015: New photos from Jack Schmidt
- May 18, 2010: New photo from Bill Eichelberger
- May 13, 2010: Updated by Ed Hollowell: added NRHP
- May 9, 2010: Updated by Ed Hollowell: Added to discription
Sources
- Ed Hollowell - erhollowell [at] aol [dot] com
- Bill Eichelberger
- Tony Dillon - spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com
- Dale Travis Covered Bridge List
- Jack Schmidt - jjturtle [at] earthlink [dot] net
- Linda Daffron
- David Case
Comments
Hey Tony! It looks like your cussing did some good. They must have just cut it down as there are still pine needles on the roof. Now if we can fix the siding.
I've cussed that tree a few times.🤬🤬🤬
Some recent photos. I don't think the trees growing so close to the bridge helps. Photos from Sept. 25, 2020
Yes, it's getting rather shabby.
The original move from out in the county was undertaken as a project by the building trades class at the local high school.
I don't know how much, if any, engineering was involved with the move. I do know I crossed it only a year or two prior to the move and it was beyond dilapidated.
It's definitely time for the county to step up and put some funding into it.
This bridge is in dire need of structural and cosmetic repairs! 10/7/2020
Despite this bridge being moved to a very viable location the bridge seems to be suffering both cosmetic and structural damage. Props have been added to support the bridge mid span. I am going to give it some close examination soon to find out what's going on.
I like how it says they painted the bridges by mixing linseed oil and white lead. Must not have hurt the brothers, they look to have lived a long life.
"Bridge #3 appears to be from a previous railroad line it is located about one mile west of CR400 West and due west of Country Club Rd. and is the county Base line for East/West."
That would be the former interurban line to Rushville and Indianapolis.
This bridge was actually on CR 75 North aprox. one-half mile west of Longwood Crossing.It was replaced in 1987 with a 116 ft. long UCEB according to an older Fayette County Road Map. Yesterday I canoed from this bridge @ CR 75 North all the way to the Whitewater River. There are three unique bridges downstream from this point;#1 a private metal bridge aprox. 80 ft. long located (in view) just east of the bridge and on the southside of CR 75 North, #2 a towering 50-60 ft tall, aprox 300 ft. long railroad trestle (CSX) with large wooden supports and lower concrete piers also in view south of CR 75 North and a 30 ft. tall arch concrete bridge, 50 foot wide and aprox. 100 ft. long. Bridge #3 appears to be from a previous railroad line it is located about one mile west of CR400 West and due west of Country Club Rd. and is the county Base line for East/West. I was running out of daylight and had very little time to stop and examine these structures with Williams Creek raging with rapids. I did not see any visual dates on any of the bridges but I was moving very fast with very little time. All of the previously mentioned can be seen on Google Earth. The tall Railroad trestle could be walked to by walking west of the railroad crossing @ C.R. 75 North for about a half-mile as it is over a step valley.
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/in/fayette/longwood-covered/
Good to see Ed... now if they will rehab it!