Laughery Creek Bridge

Laughery Creek Bridge is a truss bridge spanning the water in Dearborn County with three intersection points built into its iron frame. The single-span structure measures approximately 300 feet and features a 17-foot walkway that now accommodates pedestrian traffic.

The structure was built in 1878 by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company after a wooden predecessor collapsed at the same location. The iron replacement was designed to provide a more durable crossing that would outlast earlier construction methods.

The bridge now serves mainly pedestrians who walk across to experience the engineering of an earlier era. This shift in use has made it a gathering point for visitors interested in how communities preserve their industrial past.

Access is located south of Aurora near State Road 56, making it easy to find and reach from town. The pedestrian walkway remains accessible at all times and offers safe footing for visitors crossing on foot.

This is the last remaining triple-intersection Whipple truss bridge of its kind in the United States, a distinction shared by no other structure. Visitors can observe this rare 19th century engineering approach still standing in its original form today.

Location: Indiana

Official opening: 1878

GPS coordinates: 39.02460,-84.88590

Latest update: December 14, 2025 12:21