Bridges of Indiana's Counties - Putnam Co. - #72 Houck

Big Walnut Creek runs under the Houck Covered Bridge.
6/6/2010  dwm photo

While Putnam County is home to nine bridges, only five are on the county's visitor website.  The Houck Covered Bridge is not one of them.

Other than a few words on a decades old sign, the history of this 1880 bridge floated downstream.

What I remember of my visit was walking a trail along the creek in search of an angle that might best show the bridge.

The creek took a turn and the photo (left) was the best shot I got.

County Road 500 W
Putnam County 6/6/10 (dwm)

On the other hand, I like the picture from a mile down the road of a bridge at work.  It's working days were nearing an end.  The photos were taken in June, 2010.  By 2014 it closed and was only open for pedestrians.

There is no clue why the bridge is named Houck.  We had landlords with that name when we lived in South Dakota, but it seems like a long-shot their family was involved.

The historical marker suggests it is sometimes called the Hamrick Bridge, but I didn't hear that until doing the research to write this blog.

The bridge is 210 feet long - one of
the 15 longest in Indiana. (dwm)

Hamrick Station is east of the bridge.  At one time, it expected the Pennsylvania Railroad to build a line through town.

When it didn't; the bridge was all this part of the county had left.

The Houck Bridge is the second one up
from the bridge at lower left.
(goputnamcounty.com)

The Houck is a few miles south of the Oakalla bridge and not far from Edna Collins.

Houck Covered Bridge Facts

Built: 1880 by the Massillon Company of Ohio

Style: 2 span Howe Truss sits on stone abutments and a pier

Length:  210 feet long, 16 feet wide, and 15 feet high crosses Big Walnut Creek west of Hamrick Station.

(information from history sign near bridge)

You can find more covered bridges by following this link.