Circleville Covered bridge
Facts
- Overview
- Lost Burr arch-truss bridge over Flatrock River on US Route 52/ SR3
- Location
- Rushville, Rush County, Indiana
- Status
- Replaced by new bridge
- Builder
- - E.L. Kennedy
- Design
- Village Style Burr Arch Covered bridge
- Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 150.0 ft.
Total length: 300.0 ft.
- Also called
- South Bridge
Main Street Bridge - Approximate latitude, longitude
- +39.60420, -85.44429 (decimal degrees)
39°36'15" N, 85°26'39" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 16/633561/4384984 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Rushville
- Inventory numbers
- WGCB 14-70-11x (World Guide to Covered Bridges number)
BH 44468 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Update Log
- April 10, 2019: New photo from Tony Dillon
- July 20, 2018: New photo from David Shedlock
- November 11, 2013: Updated by Ed Hollowell: Change Flat Rock River to Flatrock River
- April 15, 2010: Updated by Bill Eichelberger: Covered bridge.
- March 28, 2010: New photo from Anthony Dillon
- March 16, 2010: Added by Anthony Dillon
Sources
- Tony Dillon - spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com
- Bill Eichelberger
- Ed Hollowell - erhollowell [at] aol [dot] com
- David Shedlock
Comments
And even after the new bridge was built there was an opportunity to save it as the bridge sat abandoned from 1942-49 until it was dismantled.
What an amazing centerpiece of the community it would be had it survived!
A few things about this bridge.
Even in the 1930's it was considered for preservation. It was torn down in the 1940's under orders of the War Dept. during WW II. The war department wanted it replaced because it carried US 52 and Ind. State Road 3 and was considered an important route for military traffic including heavy vehicles from Fort Adderbury as well as traffic between Indianapolis and Cincinnati. There was sadness about the loss but not much could be done under the situation.
The bridge and it's companion over the Flatrock River east of Rushville were both points of local pride. The east side bridge on SR 44 to Connersville was known locally as the "Cemetery Bridge" for the cemetery which is just on the east side of the river as well as "The East Hill Bridge." I believe that when the Cemetery Bridge was replaced it was promised that the Circleville bridge would be protected. It's destruction left many feeling heart broken.
The 4 "village" style Kennedy spans were unbelievable structures, especially the one at Shelbyville that had a vaulted ceiling.
What an amazing thing it would be if one of these beauties had survived the onslaught of modernization! I have even though that a "replica" span could be built in Rushville. I know the cost could be rather large, but what a tribute it would be to the bridge building family.
I have a rather unique commemorative tile of the Dunlapsville Covered Bridge. I think my dad has one of those plates.
I like this old picture. My father was born and raised in nearby Rushville. I have a commemorative gilded edge collectors plate dated "1975" with a sketched image of the Circleville Covered Bridge. I will take a photo of my plate very soon and post it here.
Todd
Todd, I too, have a commemorative plate of the Circleville covered bridge. The Kennedy bridges are my favorites of all wood truss bridges.
Tony Dillon:
Wonderful addition you posted. I received from my grandmother Walker a commemorative plate honoring the Circleville Covered Bridge. She knows how much I love bridges and she saved the plate for me since I was a kid.
Tony, I emailed you awhile ago. You forgot to write back, and am waiting on "bridge news" if you have any.
Todd
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/in/rush/bh44468/
Thanks for all the compliments on the Kennedys and their covered bridges. As a great-granddaughter E.L. Kennedy, I appreciate your accolades.