Bridges of Indiana's Counties - Monroe Co. #91 Cedar Ford

Cedar Ford bridge.  8/29/2020 dwm photo

There's a new covered bridge in Indiana, the Cedar Ford bridge in Monroe County just north of Bloomington.  I saw it last week.

According to a story in the Bloomington Herald-Times published last summer said remnants of the Cedar Ford bridge that stood for 90 years over the Little Blue River in Shelby County, Indiana were saved after it was dismantled.  You can read the story and other information on the bridge at its page on Bridgehunter.com

At one time Monroe County was home to several bridges, including one that stood 200 feet downstream from the new bridge.  Known in 1970 as the Williams bridge, it was restored then destroyed by arson in 1976.

View of new bridge from
possible site of old one.
8/29/2020 (dwm)

Monroe County officials spent 19 years working on finding a bridge and funds to pay for it.  They celebrated the opening June 16, 2019.

Just a few days ago while taking pictures the scent of fresh cut lumber was still evident.  According to reports 10% of the bridge or 15 pieces of the original, remain.

In addition to a beautiful setting, there are long sight lines of the bridge from each approach which offered a lot of great shots.  The bridge reconnects Old Maple Grove and North Maple Grove Roads in a pretty valley with soybean fields, grassland, and forests and crossed by Beanblossom Creek.

Locals originally called the bridge Milikan followed by McMillan before it became known as Williams. 

Looking over a Soybean field across the valley
to the bridge.  8/29/2020 dwm photo

While its purpose was creating a dry way over the creek, it was a place travelers and livestock could get out of the rain while traveling or a gathering place for local residents.  The interior walls also served as a bulletin board advertising various services or lost animals.  Other bridges I've seen continues that, but now the messages are usually declarations of who was here and who loves whom.

You can't compare the Milikan, which cost $2,646.80 to build with the reconstructed Cedar Ford which cost $1.6 million (much of it from Federal transportation grants), but it is very cool to see another new old bridge join the 90 others dotting the Indiana landscape.

You can read about other bridges by following this link.

It was cloudy when I arrived at the bridge, but it cleared up creating this wonderful view from
south of the Cedar Ford bridge. 8/29/2020 dwm photo