Bell Ford Covered Bridge
The by-passed Bell Ford Bridge in Jackson County, Indiana, has a unique truss, the only one of its kind in the world. The Post Truss construction, combining wood and iron, was patented in 1863 by Simeon S. Post. The framing has no verticals trusses, and the main diagonals trusses are wood. The bracing and counterbracing consists of a web system of iron rods, an idea formulated by the inventor, who was a chief engineer of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad (later the B&O) and who was familiar with the region. Few bridges of this type were ever built, and only this example, built in 1869, was covered. The Bell Ford bridge, constructed by Robert Patterson for the Seymour Bridge Company, is located along St. Rd. 258 between Cortland and Seymour, Indiana. It is 325 feet in length and spans the East Fork of White River. A windstorm in February 1999 blew the west third of the bridge into the water. Money is being raised now to rebuild it. To find out how to help, please visit my
covered bridge webpage.
