Bridges of Indiana's Counties - Parke Co. #35 - Crooks (1/31)

Crooks Covered Bridge  Parke County
July 2009    dwm photo

Welcome to Parke County - home to more bridges than any other in Indiana.

Maybe more covered bridges are in the county than in several north and eastern states combined.  31 Covered Bridges were standing in 2009 when I started photo-collecting them.  The Location Guide I used lists 32, but Jeffries Ford bridge was destroyed before I began.

Jeffries  was set on fire by arsonists in 2002.  Bridgeton's covered bridge stands tall, risen from the ashes from the original destroyed in 2005, rebuilt in 2006.

I'm starting the tour of Parke County covered bridges with the oldest here and the second oldest in Indiana, the Crooks Bridge, built in 1855 and 56.

Lore surrounding the bridge includes some pretty far-out stories.  One suggests a flood moved the bridge downstream where new supports and road was built for it.

You can read the account on the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival website   Who knows which tale is true, but it is fun.

Little Raccoon Creek flows under Crooks Bridge.
dwm photo

It was moved not long after it was built.  One reason in its history was to avoid a flood-prone area.  In 1875, in the new location, it was damaged by a flood and rebuilt.

The rebuild is part of the lore surrounding the bridge.  It was definitely rebuilt by J.J. Daniels or General Arthur Patterson.  But no authoritative source makes it clear.

Daniels has his name on covered bridges across Indiana.  This is the first time I've run across Patterson's name.

The other odd part of the history is that when it was rebuilt, it stood alone for several years before roads were built to join it.   That sounds like a government job, doesn't it?

Parke County hosts an annual Festival each fall celebrating their covered bridges.  In 2018, it runs from October 12 to 21st.

I never attended.  When we went to take photos, I was hoping for little to no crowds on or near the bridges and easy traffic on the country roads.

The Crooks Bridge photos were taken on the very first bridge search. It wasn't my first bridge, but part of the first day.

In reviewing the pictures, I'm struck by how few photos I took.  There are a couple bridges in Parke County where I only have two photos in the folder.

Crooks Covered Bridge.    dwm photo

As a comparison, I came home with 350 photos of Bald Eagles last week. The location of the bridge and the land around it dictate how many different views there are to shoot, but generally I want more photos to choose from.

I also hope that quantity might lead to quality.  Sometimes the timing of the click catches something unseen through the viewfinder that adds to the quality of the picture which can only be seen on a screen larger than the 2.5 inch one on the back of the camera.

This Covered Bridge series is running in alphabetical order of Indiana counties.  With the most bridges here, it is fitting that the first county of Covered Bridges gets a very long look.

Parke County
Internet image

Crooks Covered Bridge

Built:  1855 and 1856 are both listed - the oldest in Parke County, second oldest covered bridge in the state.

Style:  Burr Arch

Length: 132 feet over Little Raccoon Creek

More covered bridges are a click away.