Ballard Road Covered Bridge

Ballard Road Covered Bridge is a wooden structure crossing Caesars Creek with distinctive vertical siding and a seven-panel Howe truss framework. The bridge is supported by limestone abutments that anchor it firmly to the creek banks.

James E. Brown built this bridge in 1883 on land near a former mill operation. This period marked a transition when rural communities still relied on wooden bridges while urban areas were adopting metal alternatives.

The bridge represents nineteenth-century American engineering methods, with its wooden framework and metal roof demonstrating the construction techniques of rural Ohio transportation.

This bridge can be crossed by vehicle and is accessible from North Ballard Road in Xenia, though nearby parking is limited and requires some searching. The best visits happen during quieter times when you can safely stop and observe the structure.

The limestone blocks supporting this bridge came from the same local quarries that supplied stone for the Washington Monument. This connection to a national landmark reveals how important this region's stone was to major construction projects of the 1800s.

Location: Greene County

Inception: 1883

GPS coordinates: 39.67810,-83.81530

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:02