Brownsville Covered Bridge, Brownsville Indiana

Date added: December 29, 2023 Categories: Indiana Covered Bridges Long Truss

The Brownsville Covered Wagon Bridge, spanning Eagle Creek in the Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis, was moved to its present location in 1974. Prior to its move to Indianapolis, the bridge spanned the east fork of the Whitewater River at the western edge of Brownsville, Indiana. Erected by Adam Mason in 1837-1840, the bridge employs the truss system patented by Colonel Stephen H. Long, one of the earliest truss systems based upon mathematical calculations.

The Brownsville Covered Bridge, built in 1837-1B40, by Adam Mason over the East Fork of the Whitewater River at the West edge of the town of Brownsville, was the oldest covered wooden bridge in Indiana still remaining on its original site. The only other older extant Indiana covered bridge, completed in 1838, is now located at the North Entrance to Brown County State Park.

The truss, designed by Col. Stephen H. Long in 1830 and patented by him a few years later, was the first all wooden truss into which a few mathematical calculations entered. Viewed from the side, the Long truss resembles a series of boxed Xs and needs no arch for support.

The Brownsville structure is the only Long truss covered bridge remaining in Indiana. It is one of very few ever built in the United States. Of the more than 1000 covered bridges still standing in the U.S. as of 1972, only 15 are known to use the Long truss. Of those 15, only one is known to be older than the Brownsville Bridge. The stronger Howe truss, patented in 1840, and employing both wood and iron, was preferred throughout the remainder of the 19^th century over the Long and the Town Lattice trusses which pre-dated it.

Locally this bridge was known as the 'Wagon Bridge' to distinguish it from a railroad covered bridge, just upstream, which was removed in 1911.

Begun in 1837 with an original county appropriation of $1200, construction of the bridge required an additional $400 which was appropriated (but never paid to Mr. Mason) on May 3^rd 1839 from the State 3% Fund. The bridge was completed in late 1840 and accepted by the Union County Commissioners in January 1841.

Bridge Description

The Brownsville Covered Bridge, spanning the East Fork of the Whitewater River at the West edge of the town of Brownsville, Union County, Indiana, is a single-span covered timber bridge, 182'-0" long and 21'-6" wide. It was built by Adam Mason during the years 1837-1840 and rests on a shelf occupied by the town on the east bank of the river. The high earthen approach required on the west end may have been built at a later date.

The truss used in the bridge was designed in 1830 by Col. Stephen H. Long and was patented circa 1835. Viewed from the side, the Long truss resembles a series of giant boxed Xs and needs no arch for support. In the Brownsville implementation, braces measure 8"x9", counterbraces are 6"x8", and panel posts 8"x12". Upper and lower chords (four members each) are roughly 6"x12" in cross-section.

In 1869, George Heim, a local craftsman, placed stone abutments and attractive balusters at both ends of the bridge. Until 1967 planks covered the lower half of the truss work inside.

The gable roof is currently covered by galvanized steel roofing. Exterior sides are covered with 1"x12" unpainted siding with 1"x2" battens.

Prior to the move to Eagle Park, the Brownsville Bridge was the oldest timbered bridge in Indiana still on its original site.