The project started , in reality, in the Summer of 2006. The Barlow summer vacation started the twist of fate with a beautiful location of Turkey Run State Park in Parke county Indiana. Parke county, the covered bridge capital of the world, struck my interest in covered bridges without any knowledge of the future project.
The family and I traveled over one covered bridge after another. I was amazed at the dates of these tunneled spans, driving over a timber framed bridge that was built in the 1850’s. The size of the timbers impressed me giving a sense of strength and stability as we drove through the Klickity Clack caves. There was one part of these bridges that stood above all the rest in my mind and that was those wonderfully crafted “Burr” arches. I was sure of one thing…..I was going to build a Burr Arch covered bridge, whether it be for someone else or for myself.
This began my intense drive for the knowledge of the covered bridges. My wife was wonderful in buying me books for my birthday and for Christmas and I was searching frantically for any analytical information that I could round up over the net. My goldmine was found! I had read in a covered bridge book by Richard Sanders Allan that the Library of congress was full of historical information. There it was, actual blueprints of even some of the bridges that we had crossed in Indiana. I searched over many drawings and accumulated information for the bridge that I wanted to build. I had looked at blueprints so much that I felt I could nearly build one out of my head.
I had worked the idea of building a covered bridge so high up in my head that I was telling everyone that I was going to build one, knowing full well that I hadn’t anyone to build it for….yet!
I remember that day well. I was trying to figure out the answering machine for my cell phone and finally retrieved my messages, some from two months before. After going through one message after another, Mr. Paul Smiddy’s voice rang “CAN YOU SAY COVERED BRIDGE!.” My wife attacked me; I wasn’t sure who was more excited, me or her (my cell phone was on speakerphone). Within two weeks I was preparing foundation drawings.
On May the fifth, our painters were onsite and the final touches were setting the stage for the first traffic to travel across the bridge. At this point, I was slightly saddened to see the end of the project. It has truly been a wonderful opportunity and I would gladly accept another! I would like to thank Mr. Paul Smiddy for placing his faith in my abilities to build this bridge. Most of all, I would like to thank God above for blessing me with the ability to do such work!
