Vigo County Historical Society

Two-lane bridge enabled people to cross the mighty Wabash River

In the beginning of the 20th century, travelers crossed the Wabash on a two-lane wooden covered bridge.

It was built in 1864 by a company comprised of local citizens with the following officers and stockholders: William K. Edwards, President; J.O. Jones, secretary; and William R. McKeen, guardian for the heirs of James Johnson. Trustees were W.B. Warren, Levi G. Warren and George W. Bement. It was opened as a toll bridge.

In 1874, it was sold to the county for $80,000, making it a "free bridge."

Travelers were greeted by the sign that advised them to keep to the right and that a $1 fine would be assessed if vehicles traveled faster than a walk.

In 1904 the wooden structure had to be removed. It was replaced with a steel bridge designed by Malverd A. Howe of Rose Polytechnic Institute and James E. Starbuck of Vandalia railway engineering department in Terre Haute. This bridge cost about $192,000, but the total project cost $271,200.

This figure included the removal of the old bridge and the building of a temporary one to be used while the steel one was being finished. The bridge opened in 1905.

Eight-seven years later, history repeated itself when two two-lane bridges were built to span the Wabash and replace the old steel bridge. The Theodore Dreiser bridge and the Paul Dresser bridge will take travelers into the 21st century.

A piece of the flooring of the wooden covered bridge is our Historical Treasure. It was preserved by Tira Stewart in 1904. She also placed a photograph of the bridge looking west from the east bank in this piece of flooring.

Her niece, Virginia Richie, donated it to the Historical Museum. You can find this and other treasures in the new "Celebrate the Century" exhibit.