Bridges of Indiana's Counties - Grant Co #20 Cumberland

Cumberland Covered Bridge near Matthews, Indiana
10/15/2011      dwm photo

It's the only Covered Bridge left in Grant County, Indiana.  That's a good enough reason for a celebration.

Every September, the weekend after Labor Day, the bridge hosts its own party, the Matthews Covered Bridge Festival.

At one time, the small community had high hopes of replacing Indianapolis as the state capital thanks to the discovery of a gas field.  Those plans were discarded in 1903, not long after the field was tapped out.

It's a beautiful bridge.  Restoration efforts make it a good host and focal point for cameras.

The bridge over the
Mississinewa River.  (dwm)

The Bridge's Wikipedia page says a flood in 1913 floated the structure a half-mile downstream.  It was returned by teams of horses.  The bridge supports were raised, enough that a flood in 1958 only loosened a few boards.

The bridge carries feet and a bicycle or two these days.  The surrounding land hosts the festival.  As bridges in parks go, this is one of the best.

Cumberland Bridge built in 1877
(dwm)

My trip came after the festival, so I missed the hoopla and whatever history I might have learned from locals.  The 1913 flood was a doozy, labeled the Great Flood.

Just another bridge, I guess.  But this ordinary bridge made transportation and commerce easier than before it spanned the river.

Grant County
Internet image

Some big events miss out on the acclaim, but it isn't any less life-changing.

Cumberland Covered Bridge
AKA: Matthews Covered Bridge
Built:  1877
Style: Howe Truss
Length: 175 feet over the Mississinewa River