John Meara '07 - Saturday’s trip (May 15) through Indiana’s famed Parke County, left no questions why it is the “Covered Bridge Capital of the World.”  This could easily be seen from the number of covered bridges encountered on the excursion, but much more evident from the small towns’ organization, and how it relied so heavily on the covered bridges as tourism for income.

The purpose of the trip was to explore Parke County, but most importantly visit Bridgeton for the ham and beans fundraiser for the new bridge which was destroyed in an arson fire last year.  On the way, we passed Beeson, Neet, Crooks, McAllister’s, Mansfield, and Big Rocky Fork covered bridges, but at Bridgeton only the remains from arson, and the beginnings of a new bridge. While there, the importance of the covered bridges became clear. The town was arranged to accommodate specifically for the covered bridge festival, however, without the covered bridge the town would be hurt this upcoming year.

In an effort to raise the needed $214,000 we attended the bean dinner and met some of the towns people committed to the construction of a new bridge. The people were mostly elderly, and typical of the small town America characteristics. The towns had transitioned from places of importance for agriculture and their positions on creeks, to towns which, rely on the covered bridges as a source of income. This was reiterated through the signs seen in the towns and the surrounding highways and country roads. 

It was interesting to think how the bridges themselves had transformed from merely a means to cross a creek, to important symbols of Indiana and American history, and an important source of economic activity for small towns dotting the Indiana country side.  Whether it is from economic gain, or historical value, the people of Parke County care deeply for their covered bridges, and takes pride in them.  They boast 6 million visitors and $17 million a year in a county where the largest town is Rockville, population 2,696.  

In photos: Top is a before and after of the historic Bridgeton Bridge. Lower left: Meara looks at how the Mansfield Bridge was constructed.