Jeffries Ford Covered Bridge

The Jeffries Ford Covered Bridge was a wooden covered structure that crossed Big Raccoon Creek and used arch trusses in its design. The span measured 222 feet in length, roughly 16 feet wide, and 13 feet tall to allow wagons and pedestrians to cross the creek safely.

The structure was built in 1915 by a 75-year-old carpenter who completed it as one of his final major projects. It earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, but was destroyed by fire in 2002.

The bridge was part of the local road network that connected rural communities and shaped how people moved through the region. It stood as a landmark that residents and travelers recognized and used in their daily journeys.

The bridge was located along a local road in rural country and crossed a flowing waterway in the Parke County area. Access was straightforward for anyone traveling through the region on foot or by vehicle.

The bridge was the work of a family of builders whose members took different roles in constructing it and worked together on the project. This kind of family collaboration on major construction work was typical for the era and shows how rural work operated.