A Postcard clearly showing both the iron and Covered sides of the bridge.
Historic postcard view
BH Photo #159106
John,
According to the NBI, it was built in 1931 and rehabilitated in 1992.
Upon closer examination and talking with the homeowner, that brick isn't from the original bridge, but likely was put in so that a previous driver would have a solid surface to drive to the house on. Especially after floods.
How cool that both bridges appear to have operated concurrently for a while! Thanks for all these great photos. The original brick road to/from this bridge still exists on the Illinois side; see photo. Part of it appears to be on private property; the homeowner there parks his car on it. I haven't gone to look, but aerial views of the Vincennes side suggest that one block of brick road still exists there, too.
Those who look at these old bridges over the Wabash will probably notice that they all had drawspans. There used to be a dam at Grand Rapids (Mt Carmel) that made the Wabash navigable all the way up to Terre Haute. A lock was built at Mt Carmel when a spillway was installed in 1890. But due to the Wabash Navigation Act of 1835, it required river navigation to have preference. So that is why when the railroads came along and later the roads, they all had to provide a way for steamers to pass. The Army Corps of Engineers shut down the the lock at Grand Rapids in 1932 and later removed the spillway. (probably due to the recent flooding) In the summer when the river is low, you can see what remains of the crib and stone dam built in the 1840's. The Wabash was turned over to the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) in 1946 and they didn't want it. The navigation act was finally revoked in the 1960's after several road bridges were built to comply with the Act as late at 1956.