COLUMN: It's Just a Country State of Mind: Cross this bridge at a walk

Preserving our history as a people is important. It's often left up to those of us who are here now to make sure that history is passed on to the next generation. Some pieces of history that I'm happy to say are still here are covered bridges.

Presently, there are supposed to be around 90 covered bridges still standing in our state and many of those were built in the late 1800s or early 1900s. Considering there used to be about 600, that's still a good number.

Indiana's first covered bridge was completed in 1835 in Henry County when the National Road first crossed the state. Those early bridge builders were men of vision. Two such builders were J.J. Daniels and Joseph A Britton. They both resided around the Rockville area, which explains why there are so many bridges in Parke County to date. There are about 30 covered bridges left in Parke County. Another builder, M. Kennedy, lived in Rushville. Between the three men, they built a total of 158 bridges during their lifetime.

One of my favorite bridges can be found at Cataract Falls in Owen County. This is the only existing covered bridge in Owen County that I know about. It was built in 1876 and was not closed to traffic until 1988. It was built over Mill Creek by the Smith Bridge Company. It's located north of Spencer in Jennings Township at Cataract Falls and is 140 feet long. This past fall, I made a trip up to this bridge to take some photos. I soon found myself fascinated by the old structure.

There was a quiet serenity about the place. It was as if time was standing still, and I felt transformed to another place and time. A time remembered. The only sound I could hear was the sound of water downstream from me, rushing over the edge of the falls to the rocks below. That, coupled with the wind blowing through the trees, made for a soothing symphony of nature. It was autumn and the bright red paint that covered the bridge against the backdrop of the earthtone colors of fall, made a beautiful palette that would inspire any artist.

Of course, the county that really stands out in my mind for bridges is Parke County. It's known as the "Covered Bridge capital of the world." It currently boasts 31 bridges that have been preserved and are on the route for several tours during the Covered Bridge Festival and throughout the year. There are a few other bridges in the area that are within an hour's drive if you are so inclined. There are a couple in Brown County and some in Greene, Putnam, and Vigo counties. To me, these bridges are like a piece of artwork from the past. Like any other artwork, they were made by human hands, but the idea and the dream was first formed in the human heart. That's what makes preserving history so important to us as a people.

These early bridge builders could see far off into the future. They knew that someday we would have to get from one side to the other. They built the best that they could come up with to make sure the future generations would be sure to get there.

Yes, it's important to preserve our history. And it is up to us to make sure we pass ours on to others. And as long as there are a few covered bridges around, we are sure to get there.

A quote that I found that seems to fit: "Somewhere along your journey, you are going to realize that, after facing so many obstacles, you were always brave enough to cross the bridge." -- author unknown

Just remember to cross that bridge at a walk!

Susan