52 Ancestors,
in 52 Weeks
Week 23:
Bridge
Family Finds Charter Oak

Covered Bridges of Indiana

When I read the prompt for this week, I thought of the old covered bridges my father went out of the way to drive across. During the 1960s our family took many road trips around Indiana. Sometimes we went to a park for a picnic, sometimes to visit family or friends. I can remember during some of these trips stopping to view one of the many covered bridges found all around Indiana. [1] Some of the bridges were in very poor condition and were not to be driven across. On more than one occasion I recall looking down at the creek below between the remaining boards that once made the bridge.

Bridge Photos

To illustrate this post I wanted to include photos of the various covered bridges we visited. But, to my surprise, my father only photographed three! Two are in Parke County [2] and one in Montgomery County, all three are near Shades and Turkey Run State Parks. All three were taken during the fall of 1963.

Parke Co, Mill Creek Bridge

Above is Mill Creek Bridge in Parke County, IN, near Tangier in the fall of 1963. [3]

Parke Co, Billie Creek Bridge
Montgomery Co, Deer's Mill Bridge

Above, top, is Billie Creek Bridge in Parke County, IN, near Rockville. [4] Above, bottom, is Deer’s Mill Bridge in Montgomery County, IN, near Waveland. Both photos taken in fall of 1963. [5]

Photos are a Bridge to the Past

Before we all had cameras on our phones, and before cameras were digital, taking photographs was more time consuming and less convenient. I will have to be satisfied with my memories, since photographic reminders do not exist of these long past family outings. I clearly remember viewing and driving across far more than 3 covered bridges. Including a really dilapidated one near Beanblossom in Brown County. That was probably one bridge we could look through the boards at the creek below, and we did not drive across it. I recall a two lane covered bridge, near the entrance of Brown County State Park, that one was not out of the way since we were going to the pool at the park. How fortunate we are today to be able to document even ordinary experiences in photo and video.

Conclusion

While researching this post, I discovered that many of the old covered bridges have been restored and made over as tourist attractions. The Billie Creek Bridge now has an old-time village built near it that includes many restored historic structures that were moved to the location. Many of the communities near these old bridges have festivals centered around their bridge. What fun! Be sure to check out some of these relics of the past, they are worth a drive out of the way. And, be sure to take a photo!

EPILOGUE

In 1963 my father bought an International Harvester Traveall. [6] This was the vehicle we made our family road trips in for about 13 years. I recall going with my father to the car lot to pick up the vehicle, it was on East Washington St. in Indianapolis. The dealer gave me a white with red trim cowboy hat with an IH on the front. I wish I had a picture of that hat. The Travelall had neither power steering nor power brakes, or seat belts for that matter. My father added two front seat belts later, they were lap only and bolted through the floor.

IH Travelall 1963
I drove the Traveall only a few times as a teenager and still remember the difficulty turning the wheel, definitely two hands.

SOURCES:

  1. Website, List of Covered Brideges in Indiana, Wikipedia.com;
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_covered_bridges_in_Indiana
  2. Website, Covered Bridges (Parke County); https://www.coveredbridges.com/
  3. Website, Mill Creek Covered Bridge (#31);
    https://www.coveredbridges.com/covered-bridge-gallery/mill-creek-covered-bridge-31
  4. Website, Billie Creek Covered Bridge (#39);
    https://www.coveredbridges.com/covered-bridge-gallery/billie-creek-covered-bridge-39
  5. Website, Deer’s Mill Covered Bridge;
    https://www.visitmoco.com/attractions/deers-mill-covered-bridge/
  6. Website, International Harvester Travelall, Wikipedia.com;
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Harvester_Travelall

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Remember Me and I Will Live

Frank Takeo Flucawa

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