Bridges of Indiana's Counties - Parke Co. - #44 Melcher (10/31)

Melcher Covered Bridge east of Montezuma.
4/17/2010  dwm photo

Melcher Covered Bridge has several aliases - Marion, Klondyke, and Leatherwood.

Just as long as you don't overlook the picturesque covered bridge on the west side of Parke County, you may call it what you like.

It's Melcher because that's what the railroad station for the B & O Railroad was called.

Leatherwood was the name for the creek which flows below it; Marion for the nearby brick plant; and Klondyke as in the famous Klondyke Gold Rush, 1896 - 1899, but for the local rush for clay.

Slow down when crossing!
dwm photo

You might get a sense about the size of the Klondyke Gold Rush in Alaska in 1896 when you realize a small community in Indiana that same year was given the nickname because someone discovered a large supply of clay below the soil.

100,000 prospectors rushed for the gold; I'm not sure how many went pursuing clay.

The beautiful feature for Melcher is the small valley where it's located and the curve of Leatherwood Creek under the short bridge.

Leatherwood Creek curves under the Melcher Bridge.
4/17/2010   dwm photo

A quick note about the photo at left.

It was in the folder I created for the Sim Smith bridge.  When preparing this blog I saw the same picture, enlarged it and read "Melcher" over the portal.

I went back on April 5th to replace it in the Sim Smith blog post.  Perhaps a couple dozen folks saw the incorrect picture.  My apologies.

A number of the covered bridges look alike, but not identical.  Other than a reproduction, there are no two identical covered bridges.

Parke Co.
Internet image

Melcher Covered Bridge

Built:  1896

Style:  Burr Arch

Builder: J. J. Daniels

Length:  83 feet over Leatherwood Creek

You can see more covered bridges by clicking here.