Portland Mills Covered Bridge
Posted by: 
NoLemon
N 39° 51.644 W 087° 05.364
16S E 492353 N 4412303
One of the earliest Parke County covered bridges, the Portland Mills bridge was built in 1856 to span Big Racoon Creek at Portland Mills.
Waymark Code: WMX1N
Location: Indiana, United States
Date Posted: 10/31/2006
Views: 17
The Portland Mills bridge now spans the Little Racoon Creek northeast of Guion, IN. The original bridge in this location, Dooley Station Bridge was destroyed by fire in 1960. When Portland Mills was to be covered by Mansfield Lake, the Portland Mills Bridge was moved to this spot. The Portland Mills bridge is of Double Burr Arch Truss design. It was closed to traffic in 1982 due to deteriorating conditions. It was re-opened to traffic, with a 13 ton limit, in August 1996.
The Indiana Historical Marker for the bridge reads: "Built 1856 by Henry Wolfe to Burr arch truss design. Moved here 1961 to replace Dooley Station Bridge. Restored and reopened 1996. Horizontal yellow poplar siding replaced with pine; oak arches; new cedar shingles; concrete abutments. Listed in National Register of Historic Places with Parke County covered bridges 1978."