Adams Mill
Covered Bridge
A covered bridge is a timber-truss bridge with a roof, decking, and siding, which in most covered bridges create an almost complete enclosure. The purpose of the covering is to protect the wooden structural members from the weather. Uncovered woo ...
is located in
Indiana
Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
south of State Road 18 and north of State Road 26, east of Cutler to County Road 50 East, north on County Road 50 East.
History
John Adams was an early settler, moving to
Carroll County, Indiana
Carroll County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 20,306. The county seat is Delphi. Carroll County is part of the Lafayette, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Hist ...
, in 1831. There he settled, finishing construction of his
Adams Mill in 1845. In June 1871, the Carroll County Commissioners approved petitions requesting that two bridges be built over Wildcat Creek. Adams Mill Bridge was built in 1872 by the Wheelock Bridge Company. Both bridges were completed for a total cost of $12,237.33.
In 1870 Richard Loman and others petitioned for a covered bridge to be built across the Wild Cat Creek, and the proposal was approved in 1871. The bridge used a
Howe truss
A Howe truss is a truss bridge consisting of chords, verticals, and diagonals whose vertical members are in tension and whose diagonal members are in compression. The Howe truss was invented by William Howe in 1840, and was widely used as a brid ...
system. About 1900, the bridge was modified with the addition of Burr arches to increase the load the bridge could carry. By 1957 the bridge's condition had worsened to the point that a local history group began a fundraising campaign for it. The bridge was closed to vehicles in 1974 because of its condition. In 1978, the bridge suffered from severe vandalism. In 1992 Friends of Adams Mill Valley, Inc., was formed to again raise money for the bridge's care. The group received a grant for $291,000. In addition, the group raised $85,000 by 1999 and given to the county to receive a 20-percent matching grant. In the mid-1990s, bikes and foot traffic were also banned. Finally, in 1999 the Kaser-Spraker Construction Co. started restoring the bridge. On October 9, 1999, it was reopened. The project cost $686,000.
Today
In 1996, Adams Mill Covered Bridge was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
.
In 1998 the Friends of Adams Mill Valley, Inc., made a deal wit
Kaser-Spraker Inc.of
South Bend, Indiana
South Bend is a city in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. It lies along the St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan), St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. It is the List of cities in ...
, in the amount of $545,932.00 for restoration.
On October 9, 1999, restoration was complete and the bridge was reopened.
Image:adamsmillbridge.jpg , The Adams Mill Bridge prior to renovation.
See also
*
References
External links
Unofficial Adams Mill Bridge websiteKaser-Spraker Construction Inc.
*
Historic American Engineering Record in Indiana
National Register of Historic Places in Carroll County, Indiana
Bridges completed in 1872
Covered bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana
Transportation buildings and structures in Carroll County, Indiana
Tourist attractions in Carroll County, Indiana
Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana
1872 establishments in Indiana
Wooden bridges in Indiana
Burr Truss bridges in the United States
Howe truss bridges in the United States
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