Cooper Bridge

The Cooper Bridge is a Pratt through truss that carries County Route 25 East (Boesen Road) over Deer Creek in Putnam County, Indiana.

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The Cooper Bridge is a Pratt through truss that carries County Route 25 East (Boesen Road) over Deer Creek in Putnam County, Indiana.

In 1890, J. C. Cooper petitioned for the construction of a bridge to carry the National Road across Deer Creek. ^{1 12} In early 1891, the county commissioners agreed to erect two stone abutments and a single-span superstructure under the supervision of J. T. Ohran. In May, the St. Louis Bridge & Iron Company of St. Louis, Missouri, proposed to construct an iron superstructure for $1,827, while John and Timothy Murphy secured the contract to build the cut-stone abutments at a rate of $5 per cubic yard. The Murphys received periodic payments for locally sourced stonework between May and September. The St. Louis Bridge & Iron Company received its first payment for the superstructure in October, and additional payments were approved in November for John M. Hendrix for supplying stone and for O. W. Bridges for work on the roadway fill. Construction on the new bridge was completed by the end of 1891.

The Cooper Bridge was oriented perpendicular to Deer Creek, while the alignment of the National Road approached the bridge at sharp angles on both ends, creating abrupt turns for traffic that led to some automobile accidents. ^{1 12} In June 1921, the county awarded James Mahoney a $1,484 contract to repair the bridge, with work completed by October.

In 1924, after the National Road was incorporated into the state highway system, the state realigned the roadway and bypassed the Cooper Bridge with a new open-spandrel concrete arch bridge. ^{1 12}

Recognizing an opportunity to reuse the abandoned iron span, Putnam County commissioners purchased the bridge from the state for one dollar in 1927 and contracted with Alonzo Day to dismantle, remove, and reconstruct it on new abutments along nearby Boesen Road for $4,350. ^{1 12} The relocated structure replaced an 1884 covered bridge. Alfred Cooper, representing another generation of the Cooper family, supervised the relocation, and the construction of the approaches was completed in October.

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Details

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Sources

1. Holth, Nathan. “Cooper Bridge.” HistoricBridges.org, 26 May 2019.
2. Butler, Fairman and Seufert, Inc. Bridge Inspection/Reinspection Report: Putnam County. Indianapolis, 1974, 1978.
3. Indiana State Highway Commission. Bridge Survey. Vol. 2, pp. 10–30; vol. 759, pp. 53–54.
4. Gould, George. Indiana Covered Bridges Thru the Years. Indianapolis, 1977, pp. 59–60.
5. Indiana Historic Sites & Structures Inventory. Putnam County: Interim Report. Indianapolis, 1982, pp. 46–47.
6. “Auto Party Has Narrow Escape.” Greencastle Herald, 2 July 1913, p. 4.
7. “Notice of Bridge Letting.” Greencastle Herald, 21 Mar. 1927, p. 2.
8. “Notice to Contractors.” Greencastle Herald, 6 Sept. 1927, p. 2.
9. Putnam County, Indiana. Commissioners Record. Vol. 13, pp. 102, 240, 267–68, 320, 351–52, 357; vol. 23, pp. 501, 515, 527, 550; vol. 25, pp. 243, 309, 332, 376, 428.
10. Butler, Fairman and Seufert, Inc. Bridge Inspection/Reinspection Report: Putnam County. Indianapolis, 1974, 1978.
11. Indiana Historic Sites & Structures Inventory. Putnam County: Interim Report. Indianapolis, 1982, pp. 46–47.
12. Wernicke, Rose, and Paul Diebold. “National Road over Deer Creek Historic District.” National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. National Park Service, 16 Dec. 2015.