New Brownsville Covered Bridge

Beautiful state park. The trails, cabins, scenery, every part of it is beautiful. I can’t wait to come back and check out more trails.

I love you Indiana! You’re like the soft spoken girl next door that goes unnoticed until one day you’re placed in a situation where you get to know her. Then you discover you’ve really been missing out on someone wonderful.
THE SCENE
You see, I’ve driven through your state at least 1,000 times. I-​65 is pretty boring for over 270 miles except for that stretch of ginormous windmills near Lafayette. I lived next door in Illinois for over 25 years and I’ve roamed around in Vincennes, South Bend, Gary, Merillville and Hammond. Nothing ever really struck me as exciting or memorable other than seeing the fire hydrants in South Bend painted like people when I was around 7 years old:
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But lately you have been showing me a different side of you, a side I didn’t know existed. Bridges have always fascinated me and covered bridges have become a down right passion. In an age where everything seems to be made of straw and not built to last, it amazes me such simple structures have stood the test of time. They have endured heavier items than would have ever dreamed would be using them such as 6,000 pound SUV’s. Compared to the horse drawn carriages of their day these are small marvels of engineering.
Not to mention cars were less plentiful, yet these structures have surpassed reasonable expectations of life expectancy. That I think is what fascinates me the most. We’ve lost most of these masterpieces, but thanks to the conservative efforts of some, a conscious effort to restore and preserve these historic landmarks that were once so vital to their communities has began.
Many have been bypassed with new roads, but remain in their original location as reminders of days gone by. For others, like the New Brownsville covered bridge, they have been moved to a more ideal setting like the one here @ Mill Race Park.
BRIDGE INFO
The New Brownsville Bridge was dismantled in 1974 with plans for it to be used in a different location that never happened. So when the covered bridge that was once located at this park was damaged beyond repair, a replacement was needed and the old Brownsville Bridge was purchased by the city. The new bridge was modified from its original 166 feet down to 85 feet in order to fit its new home. [Information source: Indiana County History]
Areal view of the park/​bridge —

[NOTES]
As I ponder over the things these days that don’t seem to last (particularly human relationships), I can’t help but wonder how many things we tend to throw away in life because they no longer work. I know some things/​relationships may seem old, outdated and of little use, but what if modifications were made and great care was put into restoring the things in our lives that are broken or have been poorly maintained. I wonder just how many beautiful things we throw away that only needed us to put effort into preserving them?
FINAL THOUGHTS
Built in 1840, it is one of the oldest covered bridges in the state and a great lesson to us all that with a little love and care, many things can, and will continue to stand the test of time.
The marriage of this bridge to its new location at Mill Pond is poetic. Something old (the bridge itself), something new (the beautiful park), something borrowed (taken from another county), and something blue (the serene pond below it). Indiana, you are definitely the girl next door that I never noticed, but I see you now. Thanks for taking the time to restore so many of your amazing covered bridges and capturing my attention.
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