" Possum Bottom Bridge "

The Possum Bottom Bridge was close to our farmhouse

where we lived in the late 30's and the 40's.

Also known as Hillsdale Bridge.

My brother’s Everett, Carl and Marvin's initial's are 

carved inside the bridge from the early 40's.

I remember my sister and I playing in the cool water under

the bridge in the hot summer time when we were little tikes.

The bridge spanned the Little Raccoon Creek near a

community known as Possum Bottom, where SR 63 crosses

US 36. The bridge was relocated 2-1/2 miles to the west in

1972, and set in Ernie Pyle Memorial Park. to make room for the

SR 63 to be made into a four lane.

It was built in 1876 by J.J. Daniels, one of Indiana's best

known builders of covered bridges, who completed about

sixty bridges between 1861 and 1904.

There were nearly 400 covered bridges built in Indiana

between 1831 and 1922, The peak construction time in the

1800's. By the 1890's, iron bridges were becoming common.

There are still 36 covered bridges in Parke County, Next

county east. Site of the covered bridge festival held annually

in October.

This bridge is of burr truss design and is 180 feet long.

The horizontal chord members and the vertical posts are

arranged with diagonals to form a truss frame on each side

of the bridge. The center post is the kingpost. A large arch

ring is combined with this to make a burr truss, patented by

Thomas Burr in 1806.

All but a few of the wooden bridges built by Rockville builder

J.J. Daniels throughout Indiana were of burr truss design.

The bottom chords of the truss carry the floor beams.

Burr trusses were usually built of yellow poplar, The floor

boards were usually oak and the siding was poplar. The

trusses were fabricated with a slight camber (arch), so that

the weight of traffic and settling would cause the floor to be

flat. Wooden bridges were roofed and sided to protect the

structure from weather.

In 1990 the bridge was completely restored by the Indiana

Department of Transportation and then gave "Ernie Pyle"

Memorial Park to Vermillion County.

I have stopped by this park several times on trips to Indiana

through the hills, trees and winding roads which I love.

Back home again in Indiana. Hoosier country.

by

hoosierheart

Possum Bottom Bridge Restored near Dana, Indiana,

http://www.countyhistory.com/coveredbridge

Thanks to; Ron Branson for these images.

Possum Bottom Bridge in it's original location,

crossing The Little Racoon Creek.

Above image comes from
a postcard, photo by John V. Pontiere, Jr., Published
by Estell Wholesale Co., 518 Arrowhead Dr., Seymour,
Indiana, 47274.

B&W by Bryan Ketcham taken July 18,
1946 at 11:00 AM

Possum Bottom Bridge in original location !

Restored and moved to Ernie Pyle Rest Park !

Which is two mile west of the original location !

The Hillsdale Covered Bridge, also known as Possum Bottom or Jackson's Ford Covered Bridge, originally crossed the Little Raccoon Creek in Section 33, Township 16 North, and Range 9 West, about 1 mile west of Hillsdale, Vermillion County. This single span Burr Arch Truss structure has a length of 104 feet, or 124 feet including the 10-foot overhang at each end, is 13 feet 6 inches wide and 12 feet high. Built in 1876 by Joseph J. Daniels, The Hillsdale Covered Bridge was move to its present location in 1973, becoming the centerpiece of the Ernie Pyle Rest Park on State Road 36 in Section 35, Township 16 North, and Range 10 West, east of Dana, Vermillion County. Though no historical marker is present, this structure was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994 and is listed in the 1989 World Guide as #14-83-03.