Darlington Covered Bridge, Darlington Indiana

Date added: January 13, 2024 Categories: Indiana Covered Bridges Howe Truss

The Darlington Covered Bridge is one of twenty-three remaining Howe Truss covered spans in Indiana, and it is the fourth oldest example in Indiana. Only two covered bridges now stand in Montgomery County; the Deers Mill Bridge on SR 234 is an example of the more common Burr Arch Truss. The Darlington Covered Bridge was the result of a community effort to provide a vital transportation link for Darlington.

The Howe Truss, as represented by the Darlington Bridge, was a dramatic improvement over the Long Truss. William Howe borrowed the concept of diagonal members from the Long and Town Trusses. He improved this design by introducing vertical iron rods which both strengthened and lightened the truss. The Howe Truss, patented in 1840, has often been cited as a significant step towards an all metal bridge design. The Darlington Bridge is a type 3 Howe Truss, patented in August of 1846. (There are several recognized variations of the Howe Truss). The more conservative all wood Burr Truss (patented in 1817) was much more commonly used on Indiana bridges. This is probably because wood was inexpensive and easily available throughout Indiana.

According to information maintained by the Indiana Covered Bridge Society, the truss members for the Darlington Bridge were produced by the Smith Bridge Company of Toledo, Ohio. Robert W. Smith (1833-1898) first patented a Howe Truss variant in 1867, although his firm sometimes used the Howe Truss on projects. The Smith Bridge Company was established in Toledo in 1867. The company specialized in producing trusses which were cut, assembled, dismantled, and then shipped from Toledo to the site. The firm or its agents could then build the structure, or as the case was here, a local carpenter/builder could assemble the trusses and add a roof and sheathing. About 21 bridges were built in Indiana by Smith, as few as 12 may be extant today.

The bridge was built by Joseph Kress, contractor, and Richard Epperson, the construction superintendent. Kress was a resident of Montgomery County. He was primarily a masonry contractor. While Kress often bid on abutments and piers, this is the only bridge he is known to have built.

In 1867, forty-six community-spirited men began a fundraising campaign to raise the necessary funds to begin the construction. They were successful in collecting the sum of $1,585.00 to start the project.

The Montgomery County Commissioners voted to pay the balance in installments totaling $9,415.40 to Joseph Kress.

The site was chosen because of its solid slate foundation in Sugar Creek. This site has been used for many years as the ideal spot for fording the creek. It is believed to have been formed many eons ago being part of the Mississippian Sea which later became the drainage basin of the Mississippi River of which Sugar Creek is now a part.

The covered bridge proved to be a real asset for the economic development of this area. It was the connecting link for other rural areas to the heart of this community. According to local history, there were four mills located at this crossing; a flour mill, sawmill, flax seed mill and a carding mill. The last mill ceased operation in 1942; only its foundation still remains. The bridge has stood since 1868 over Sugar Creek and was the main northwest entrance to the town until 1974 when a new concrete bridge was built.

Bridge Description

The Darlington Covered Bridge, 1868, is located one mile west of Darlington, Indiana. It spans Sugar Creek in a north/south direction. The bridge sits in a wooded area and is approached from either end by a very scenic curved road.

The bridge covers a span of approximately 166 feet. The outside width of the bridge is 22 feet. The inside roadway is 17.3 feet in width. The height from the floor (roadway) to the square is 12.6 feet. The Side walls are covered with 1" x 12" poplar with a 4" batten strip and painted white. The roof is black asphalt shingles over wood shingles.

The builder of the bridge was Richard Epperson, a prominent contractor in Montgomery County in the 1860s. He was the superintendent of construction for Joseph Kress, the bridge contractor.

The bridge spans Sugar Creek on a north/south axis from an abutment of rough-cut native limestone on each bank. The truss design is a Howe Truss (William Howe from Massachusetts) which is an improvement over the Long Truss (Col. Stephen H. Long) in that it used vertical tension rods of iron.

The top chord is constructed of 5" x 10" and the bottom chord is built of 5" x 11". They consist of four timbers bolted together with blocks forming a space of approximately 1" between the timbers. The compression timbers consist of a pair of 6" x 9" slanting one way and a 6" x 6" slanting the opposite, thus forming the cross of "X" in the truss. Two vertical 14" diameter iron rods complete the tension between the top and bottom chords. These are located between panels. All timbers are yellow poplar.

The floor of the bridge is wooden blocks 24" thick by 5 3/4" x 33" laid on edge grain. This floor may have been added during the 1930s as a WPA project. (Many other covered bridges in Indiana had similar floors installed as WPA projects). These are laid on top of 23" x 8" oak planks which rest on a 4" x 12" oak floor joist. The chords, both top and bottom, are stabilized by 6" x 6" poplar timbers in the shape of an "X".

The roof is formed with 2" x 6" rafters covered with 1" wide poplar sheeting. Old wooden shingles can be seen through the cracks. Modern black shingles have been nailed over the wood shingles. At each end of the bridge, there is a 1' overhang gable with the sides of the bridge opening built at a slant angle. There is a horizontal open space between the roof and walls for ventilation. In the 1970s, two square windows were added to each side of the structure.

Historically, the bridge had only two limestone abutments, one at each bank of the creek. In later years (date unknown), a concrete pier was added in the center of the structure. The original wooden shingle roof was also covered more than once with modern shingles to better preserve the structure.

The Darlington Covered Bridge was closed to vehicular traffic in 1974.

It is accessible to pedestrians and has been maintained for its historical and scenic importance.