   |
||||||
|
|
Bridge Name :
Westport Covered
Bridge
The old covered
bridge located 1.5 miles southeast of Westport just off CR
1100 S is the only covered bridge in Decatur County.
It’s a Burr Arch and Truss type bridge making a 115 feet
span across Sandcreek with 7.5 feet extensions at each end
to help protect interior timbers from the weather.
On July 20,
1880, the county commissioners awarded a contract to A. M.
Kennedy & Sons to build the bridge at $16.00 per foot.
The next day, July 21, 1880, the commissioners contracted
with E. S. Bussell & Brothers to build the abutments.
This covered
bridge is one of only 11 remaining Kennedy bridges. It
carried normal vehicular traffic of up to 5 tons until
1976 when it was bypassed and closed to all but pedestrian
traffic.
On June 25,1982,
the Department of Interior entered the Westport covered
bridge on the National Register of Historic Places.
It originally was
completely enclosed, but, at some time, side windows were
installed in half the length on each side so that oncoming
traffic could be seen, because the road turns quickly at
each end. Later, the windows were extended the full length
of the bridge. Evidence exists that repairs to the ends of
the arches have occurred probably twice before. Exactly
when any repairs were made since its construction, and
their extent, are not known.
(photo courtesy of John Harrison) This is looking south at the Old Wooden Bridge which is shown here during the 1913 flood. Local residents were almost certain that it would be swept away by the flood waters. The water was lapping against the siding, and there was a strong current across the road at the west end, but the old bridge held fast.
The "old wooden bridge" was in desperate need of repairs. T.I.W.A.B.A. approached local representatives to see what could be done to repair the bridge. Working with the company of Beam, Longest and Neff, LLC, the Decatur County representatives applied for funding from the Federal Transportation Enhancement Project. Decatur County commissioners received a Federal Highway Transportation Act grant to renovate and preserve the covered bridge in late 2001. Funding from this project will cover 80% of the repairs and Decatur County must supply the 20% balance. A Covered Bridge Renovation & Preservation committee was appointed to assist in raising the necessary funds. Engineering planning and specification preparation are complete. The Bridge was completed in June of 2004 and a rededication ceremony was held on August 14, 2004 during the Westports of the World Convention.
|
|||||
|
© 2004 Street Smart Incorporated |
||||||
