Our earlier journey by way of Iowa included a go to to Madison County, the place we explored the lined bridges made well-known by Robert James Waller’s well-liked guide, “The Bridges of Madison County,” and a subsequent film of the identical title. The next yr, we spent a day visiting the six lined bridges in Rush County, Indiana, the place David was born and raised.
Throughout our youth these constructions didn’t appear particular. They had been the place we’d go fishing, tease the frogs, throw rocks, and make little stops to kiss a date. This modified in maturity when views of the lined bridges sparked childhood recollections and an appreciation of the architectural magnificence of those previous picket constructions that now appear to carry a smile.
A number of years in the past we heard about an annual competition celebrating all 31 lined bridges in a single Indiana county. After placing our travels on hiatus in the course of the pandemic, we lastly bought off the dime in October and headed north to benefit from the competition.
It was considerably chilly and windy, however the daylight on the shiny foliage introduced again recollections of our early years dwelling within the Midwest.
Parke County, Indiana, west of Indianapolis on US 36, as soon as claimed 51½ lined bridges, with half representing the japanese portion of a lined bridge spanning the Wabash River into neighboring Vermillion County. Parke County’s uncommon assortment of lined bridges resulted from being traversed by quite a few streams with comparatively steep banks. The numerous bridges that stay and proceed to please guests like us are a tribute to county residents who admire the historical past and sweetness of those constructions.
From the 1800s to the early 1900s, the wooden used for out of doors building was left untreated, inflicting many bridge builders so as to add decking to guard the picket beams and decks from the weather.
A one lane lined bridge typically lasted 4 instances so long as an uncovered bridge. By the mid-19th century, using steel trusses diminished the necessity for roofs. An added advantage of the steel armor was stronger bridges that might deal with the heavier a great deal of an additional lane.
Parke County held its first lined bridge competition over one weekend in 1957. It was later expanded to 2 weekends and has now change into so well-liked that the competition spans 10 consecutive days.
A lot of the county’s small cities and villages take part with cubicles providing arts, crafts, antiques, meals, and extra. We converse to a number of of the competition’s artisans who come annually to promote their wares.
Festivals are usually enjoyable, partly due to the number of meals. In Indiana, pork tenderloin sandwiches have lengthy been a specialty.
We had been instructed by a number of locals to go to Mecca Tavern, which has been serving breaded tenderloins since 1899. Since one in every of us was a local Hoosier, we knew to order only one sandwich. The breaded and fried tenderloin crammed your complete plate and fed us for 2 days. At $10 every, it might have been one of the best deal of the competition.
Free county maps level out vacationer routes that supply entry to the bridges, 22 of which stay satisfactory. One in all these, the 54-foot-long Catlin Bridge, was moved in 1961 from its unique location to the native golf course the place it crosses Invoice Diddle Creek and is drivable solely by golf carts. The lined bridges are usually off the principle roads, so the map is a should. The Rockville County Seat serves because the competition venue and is the departure level for bus excursions for guests preferring to not drive their very own autos. Throughout three days of strolling across the county we managed to go to many of the lined bridges in Parke County.
The county’s most scenic bridge, the 235-foot double-span Bridgeton Bridge, was rebuilt in 2006 after being destroyed by arson in 2005. The county’s oldest bridge, Portland Mills, was in-built 1856 and moved in 1960 from its unique location to switch one other bridge destroyed by arson. West Union Bridge, in-built 1876, is the longest span within the county at 315 ft.
Driving scenic again roads, taking within the fall foliage, and stopping by Parke County’s historic lined bridges turned out to be an gratifying solution to spend a number of days in Indiana. If potential, schedule a go to on a weekday when nation roads are much less crowded. Native lodging provides may be overwhelmed in the course of the competition and we spent three nights in a resort in Terre Haute, about 30 miles south of Rockville.