The Westport covered bridge

Decatur County's only covered bridge, located at the southeast edge of Westport on CR 1100 S., was built by A. M. Kennedy in 1880. In a 1995 Greensburg Daily News article, local historian George Cann said the bridge was used for church picnics and other activities. He also mentioned that people would pull their horse and buggies side-by-side into the bridge when it started to rain. The bridge was closed to all but pedestrian traffic in 1976, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. In 2003, a Federal Highway Transportation Act grant was obtained to renovate and preserve the bridge. In 2004, it was re-dedicated and re-opened to vehicular traffic.

Early spring is a great time to get out and see Indiana's many covered bridges. There are 15 bridges in the counties surrounding Decatur, or you can drive a bit further and see 32 in Parke County alone. For more information about the Westport covered bridge and to view the Indiana Covered Bridge Loop Map, visit http://www.westportindiana.org/bridge.html. You can also find older photos of the bridge on the Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD). Stop by the library during the month of April to check out a book about covered bridges from our special display on the Local Interest Collection shelves.

If you have a favorite Indiana covered bridge, tell us about it in a comment below!