Richland-Plummer Creek Covered Bridge, Bloomfield Indiana

Date added: January 22, 2024 Categories: Indiana Covered Bridges Burr Arch

The Richland-Plummer Creek Covered Bridge is a fine example of the work of master bridge builders A.M. Kennedy and Sons, it is one of only ten remaining examples of their work in Indiana. The bridge is also a fine example of a Burr Arch truss timber span. It is the only covered bridge still standing in Greene County. The bridge provided a locally important transportation link for southern Greene County, allowing access to the county seat of Bloomfield. In particular, during World War II and before the construction of U.S. 231 in 1949, the Bloomfield-Scotland Road was a valuable link to Crane Naval Ammunition Depot, located about 5 miles to the south, near Scotland, Indiana.

The Burr Arch truss utilized in the Richland-Plummer Creek Covered Bridge was the most widely used timber truss type in Indiana. This truss type is named for Theodore Burr, who erected a bridge of this type over the Hudson River in Waterford, New York in 1803-4. Burr later patented his invention in 1817. Burr's design ultimately derives from a truss planned by 16th-century Venetian architect Andrea Palladio, which combined the strength of the arch with the kingpost truss, all of timber. Palladio's invention was never tested until 1792, when Timothy Palmer erected a span over the Merrimac River in Massachusetts. Characteristic elements of the Burr Arch truss include paired arch rings which rest independently on the abutments and a kingpost system of verticals and diagonals sandwiched between the arches. Three Indiana bridge builders were known for their Burr Arch truss spans: J.J. Daniels (primarily worked in Parke County), the Brittons (also primarily Parke County), and A.M. Kennedy and Sons.

Archibald McMicheal Kennedy moved to Indiana from North Carolina with his parents at age 7 in 1825. The family first settled in Fayette County but moved to Rush County in 1834. Archibald Kennedy began his career as a carpenter in 1841 in Fayette County, during this year he also married Henrietta Langston. In 1853, the Archibald Kennedy family moved to Wabash County. Kennedy began to build small bridges as a secondary business to his carpentry trade. In 1857, the Kennedys returned to Fayette County, but seven years later, Archibald purchased 247 acres of prime farmland in Rush County and erected a farmstead and brick home.

A.M. Kennedy received his first major bridge commission in 1870 for a covered span over the Whitewater River in Union County. In 1872, Archibald constructed a forty-two-inch scale model of a Burr Arch truss bridge which became a useful sales tool. During presentations to county commissioners, he placed the span between chairs and then sat on the structure. As Mr. Kennedy weighed about 250 lbs., the demonstration convinced many board of county commissioners of the strength of a Kennedy bridge.

Two of his six children, Emmett Loren and Charles Freeman, were employed by Archibald. At the company's Rushville construction yard, where large members were pre-cut and shaped before hauling them to building sites, Emmett was the general manager. In 1883, Archibald turned the day-to-day operations of the firm over to his sons. Emmett's sons Karl and Charles continued the firm's tradition of covered bridge construction up to 1918, when the last Kennedy covered bridge was erected. A.M. Kennedy and Sons erected fifty-eight known bridges in Indiana, making them the most prolific covered bridge builders in the state. Only ten survive today. All five of Greene County's covered bridges were built by A.M. Kennedy and Sons; Richland-Plummer Creek is the only span left. The Richland-Plummer Creek span was among the last bridges erected by Archibald before he turned most of the operation over to his sons in 1883.

Hallmarks of a Kennedy-built covered bridge include Burr Arch trusses and distinctive portals. Rarely, the Kennedys employed the Howe Truss configuration. Richly ornamental portals were a Kennedy trademark. Typically, portals featured an arched opening and low gable roof with a raking Italianate entablature complete with scroll brackets. Upper jambs often had applied cut-out scroll work. Despite the unfortunate (apparent) removal of detail from the west portal, the Richland-Plummer Creek Covered Bridge has most of these characteristics and is a good example of the firm's engineering skills.

On June 9^th, 1883, a contract was let for the Richland-Plummer Creek Bridge to A.M. Kennedy and Sons, and the final payment was made by the county commissioners on October 1^st, 1883. The commissioners were Moses Crocket, John Miller, and R.T. McKee. John Miller was the superintendent of construction.

The Richland-Plummer Creek Covered Bridge provided an important transportation link in Greene County. The Bloomfield-Scotland Road, which the bridge carries across Plummer Creek, connected farmers and residents of southern Greene County to the county seat of Bloomfield. With the designation of state routes in the early 1900s, the road became State Route 157. With the formation of Crane Naval Ammunition Depot (covering parts of Greene, Martin, and Lawrence Counties) in 1940, the Bloomfield-Scotland Road became a significant route for civilian employees and U.S. Navy personnel to and from the depot.

Federal involvement in the area began in 1935, when about 30,000 acres of land was secured for a conservation park as part of the Southern Indiana Demonstration Project. By 1939, the WPA had constructed shelters, a ranger's house, and a reservoir (Lake Greenwood). Just before the opening of the park, however, the Navy acquired the land through eminent domain for use as a munitions plant. Crane Naval Ammunition Depot was established as a secure inland site at which Navy personnel could manufacture and test munitions that were to be used by the U.S. Navy. During World War II, Crane became a major manufacturer and test site for the Navy as well as a major employer in south-central Indiana. Crane was the primary supplier for all east coast U.S. Navy operations.

At this time, Bloomfield-Scotland Road was the primary route from Bloomfield to Scotland and hence to Crane. A rail spur provided access for heavy shipments, but vehicular travel came across the Richland-Plummer Creek Covered Bridge. In 1949, the section of U.S. 231 between Bloomfield and Crane was completed, shifting traffic away from the old road.

In 1957, the Richland-Plummer Creek Covered Bridge was closed to traffic. J.L. Wilson and G.W. Hayes, both well-known bridge engineers of Greene County, donated time and funding to rehabilitate the bridge in 1967. Dale Workman was the superintendent of construction. The bridge was closed once again in 1990.

Bridge Description

The Richland-Plummer Creek Covered Bridge, built in 1883, also known as County Bridge #86, is located 2 1/2 miles south of Bloomfield in Greene County, Indiana. Although historically known as the Richland Bridge, the bridge crosses Plummer Creek; the name presented here is used to avoid confusion with another wooden span (since demolished) that crossed Richland Creek within several miles of the site. The bridge spans Plummer Creek in an east-west direction. The site is a scenic wooded area about 1/2 mile west of the point where Plummer Creek joins Richland Creek and about 1/2 mile south of the point where Plummer Creek joins the West Fork of the White River.

The bridge is a Burr Arch truss structure having overall dimensions of 102' in length, 14' in width, and 17' in height (to the apex of the gable). The clear height in the portals from the roadbed from the X-braces tying the top chords together is 14'8". The structure rests on native sandstone abutments and pole pilings. The stone was quarried 1/2 mile west of the site. Exterior walls are clad in board-and-batten siding.

The deck consists of 3" oak planking which runs from portal to portal. These planks rest on 3" planks placed perpendicularly to the first layer. 4" by 4" sleepers support the planking. 8" by 14" joists and 6" by 6" X-braces span between the lower chords, the X-braces are notched into the joists and secured with wooden pegs. Typical of many Burr Arch bridges, the Richland-Plummer Creek Covered Bridge has lower chords consisting of four 5" by 12" members joined by iron bolts with spacing blocks. The upper chords are similar, consisting of four 5" by 12" members joined by iron bolts with spacing blocks. The bracing of the upper chords is similar to that of the lower chords, however, the joists are 8" by 10". The X-braces are 6" by 6". All truss members appear to be of Michigan Pine, a typical species selection for a covered bridge of this era.

The bridge is built on a single arch span, employing the Burr Arch truss. The members of the outer arch rings are 7" by 12" and consist of five sections spliced together and held by iron bolts. The inner arch rings are 6" by 12" and are sectioned identical to the outer arch rings. Both inner and outer arch rings rest independently on the stone abutments. Linking the upper and lower chords is a lattice truss of vertical and diagonal members. Both vertical and diagonal timbers are sandwiched between both the inner and outer arch rings and members of the upper and lower chords. Verticals are 8" by 10", diagonals are 7" by 8". Diagonals slant towards the center of the truss with the king post receiving two diagonal posts slanting to either side. The bridge has 30 vertical posts and 24 diagonals in total.

The portals of the Richland-Plummer Creek Covered Bridge differ. The west portal is plain, with the gable end infilled by vertical siding. The right or south jamb is cantilevered, but the north or left jamb is flush. It is believed that the right jamb was altered by cutting away some siding to produce the cantilever as part of a 1967 rehabilitation. The east portal bears the hallmark of a Kennedy & Sons-built covered bridge, having a segmental-arched portal surmounted by a handsome Italianate raking entablature complete with paired heavy scroll brackets. Most known Kennedy bridges had matching ornate portals; it is therefore believed that the arched opening and bracketed entablature of the west portal were removed as part of the 1967 work. Since the west approach includes a drastic southward turn, the portal alteration may have been undertaken to allow more clearance for vehicles.

Wood rafters form the gable roof of the bridge and support a layer of corrugated metal roofing. The original roofing was likely wood shingles.

The bridge was closed in 1957, but through local contributions, it was rehabilitated and reopened in 1967. Pilings have been added to support the ends of the span, and the roof has been replaced with corrugated metal.