Guilford Covered Bridge

The Guilford Covered Bridge, a Burr arch truss structure, is located in Guilford, Dearborn County, Indiana.

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The Guilford Covered Bridge, a Burr arch truss structure, is located in Guilford, Dearborn County, Indiana.

Built in 1879 by Archibald M. Kennedy & Sons of Rushville, the bridge originally spanned East Fork Tanners Creek along York Ridge Road. ^{1 4 8} At the time of its completion, it featured a Belgian wood-block surface, one of only three in the state. In the early 1900s, additional supports were added to accommodate heavier loads due to Guilford’s growing industrial activity, particularly from nearby coal mines. ²

In March 1960, the Indiana State Highway Commission awarded Hughes Construction Company of Jeffersonville a $125,058 contract to build a three-span steel beam bridge. ⁴ With the covered bridge set for removal, concerned citizens formed the “Save the Guilford Covered Bridge” committee, proposing to relocate it to a small tract near State Route 1. The county commissioners agreed to transfer ownership to the committee.

The committee estimated relocation costs at $5,000 and launched a fundraising campaign, asking residents to donate at least $1 each. ⁴ Hughes Construction contributed the most, providing and installing creosoted piles, bracing them, and supplying free earth fill. That fall, the J.J. Hall Company of Cleves moved the bridge to its new site.

On the night of September 16, 1993, an arson fire damaged the bridge. ³ Portions were deemed salvageable, and in March 1994, the county council approved transferring $50,000 from the bridge’s insurance policy into the park board’s account. ⁵ Restoration costs were estimated at $175,000, prompting the board to seek grants and donations.

On November 2, 1994, the county received a federal Transportation Enhancement Grant of $132,454 under the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Act. ⁶ The 80%-20% matching grant required the county to contribute $33,114, which was covered by insurance funds and $10,000 in donations.

In mid-October 1996, the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) re-bid the restoration project after rejecting L.L. Brown Construction Company’s initial September bid of $317,000 for exceeding the state engineer’s estimate. ⁷ In October, L.L. Brown re-bid the project at $286,385 with clarified work specifications, and INDOT accepted the bid.

Work began that winter. ⁸ L.L. Brown removed the irreparable timbers and water-blasted the remaining structure to clear charred surfaces. While the roof, siding, and many support timbers were destroyed, the original oak plank floor, arch side supports, and diagonal braces remained intact. Roof supports were reconstructed using salvaged timbers discovered on Carl Kremer’s property, remnants of a dismantled covered bridge.

By August 1997, restoration was complete. A sprinkler system was installed as part of the project to protect the bridge from future fires. ^{1 2}

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Details

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Sources

1. Branson, Ronald. “Guilford Covered Bridge.”Indiana County History Preservation Society. N.p., 2006. Web. 6 July 2011. Article.
2. Informational signage.
3. Abner, Jerry. “Arson suspected in Covered Bridge fire.” Journal-Press, 21 Sept. 1993, pp. 1A-12A.
4. “Bridge was 114 years old.” Journal-Press, 21 Sept. 1993, pp. 1A-12A.
5. McCarter, Fred. “Grand jury investigating bridge arson.” Journal-Press, 5 Jul, 1994, p. 1A.
6. Abner, Jerry. “G’dale, county nab $632,454 worth of enhancement grants.” Dearborn County Register, 3 Nov. 1994, pp. 1A-15A.
7. Abner, Jerry. “Covered bridge restoration could start soon.” Dearborn County Register, 21 Nov. 1996, pp. 1A-4A.
8. “Phoenix.” Dearborn County Register, 12 Jun. 1997, p. 1C.