Medora Covered Bridge Claimed the Longest

WGN 14-36-04

 

Medora, IN, August 2, 2009 - The Medora Covered Bridge just east of Medora in southern Indiana's Jackson County still claims to be the longest covered bridge in the United States.

This is according to an article by Earl Conn for Fort Wayne Indiana's FWDAILYNEWS.COM published August 2, 2009.

The 434-foot Medora Bridge was built in 1875 to cross the East Fork of the White River in three spans using the Burr Truss; the roof, with a 12-foot overhang on each end, is 458 feet long.

Contrary to Indiana's claim for the longest covered bridge, New Hampshire's Cornish-Windsor covered bridge, WGN 29-10-09, 460 feet long, was built in 1865 to cross the Connecticut River in two spans.

Then, there is Ashtabula, Ohio's Smolen-Gulf covered bridge, WGN 35-04-64, built in 2008, 613 feet long in 4 spans using the Pratt truss.

Conclusion: The Medora Bridge is the second longest historic covered bridge in the U.S., the Cornish-Windsor, the longest historic covered bridge. The Smolen-Gulf is the longest covered bridge in the U.S., hands down.

For Mr. Conn's article about the Medora bridge and its builder, go to: http://www.fwdailynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4392:Visit-the-longest-bridge-still-standing&catid=88:earl-conn&Itemid=136.