Medora! Longest Covered Bridge in the United States! Stone Masons Initials Found On Bridge Piers

[@richrodeman]

My grandfather Lester Holman was born in Medora Indiana in the early 1900s. Thanks for posting this. There’s a good chance that he crossed this bridge at some point in his young life!

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

I'm sure he did cross it if he lived in Medora.

[@morrisfortner3126]

I live about 15 minutes away from the bridge . My earliest memory crossing the bridge was in 1970 when I was 9 yo and my aunt had a brand new '70 Chevy monte Carlo. Love that bridge. Not long ago there were suppers held on/in the bridge to raise money for it. Thanks for the video. You always do excellent work.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

You're lucky that you had a chance to drive across the bridge.

[@jeffs5093]

What a magnificent bridge, glad it was restored. Thank you for yet another great video.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

I'm sure you've been there a time or two???

[@MoellerEngineeringCo.]

The long span between the piers really surprised me. I would not have thought it possible, for a wooded structure like this.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Pretty amazing, isn't it?

[@ynot0714]

Nice vid! Gonna have to check it out! Love covered bridges!

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

I think you'll like it.

[@Sal834]

Thank you to the donor!!! Great job Satoli! I really enjoyed it. In the 70's I remembered all these covered bridges but they were in poor shape. Now nearly all are gone sadly. But I must say, there were times back then I was nervous hearing them creak and moan as I drove my car over given the poor condition. Lol. Thanks again!

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Yep, going over some of those bridges was an adventure.

[@MrGsizemore]

I visit the bridge regularly when I get out on my motorcycle. I love this bridge, I'm so glad something from our past, has been saved. The little town of Medora has a past worth mentioning, thaat would be another great video for you to do. Thanks for this video

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

I should do a video about the town of Medora.

[@morrisfortner3126]

@@MrGsizemore John Mellencamp did 'Hurt so good' video there

[@tigerphid9677]

It looks like a simple structure, but the engineering is very sophisticated.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Yes it is!

[@NewCastleIndiana]

12:37 there is a B right below the H. In the stone below it. Another H up and a little bit to the right of the first H. 13:37 I see a couple of Ws. One up higher from the first one. I stop by that a few times a year. I try to get up and drive throughout Indiana Kentucky Ohio most weekends.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Thanks for pointing that out! I appreciate it.

[@johannesswillery7855]

Looks like Masonic symbol.

[@musclecarmitch908]

Wow what a awesome coverd bridge! I can't believe I've never heard of this one and it's not that far away! Thanks so much for sharing! I'll definitely have to go see this one!👍

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

It's definitely worth the drive.

[@cranerigging3604]

Thank you for sharing and I was at the Medora Covered Bridge back in late October 2024 . Truly impressive ! 👍

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Glad you liked the bridge!

[@dannchamberlin4525]

I became fascinated with these bridges in late high school and college. First visited Medora in 1955 or '56, when it was "in service." Revisited it about 15 years ago and have attended 2 dinners on the bridge. Beyond delighted at the care it has received! I did my college history thesis on J.J. Daniels, copies of which are in the Rockville Library and the State Historical Society at Indy. In the mid-fifties, Indiana had 174 covered bridges, and has 89 now. There was a more dramatic Daniels bridge at Tunnelton; it sat higher above the river and was a bit longer than Medora.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Thanks for giving the figures on the number of bridges we've lost since the mid 50's. I've heard about the other bridge near Tunnelton. Where exactly did it sit and what happened to it?

[@jackwalsh1468]

Another, Satolli Saturday and a welcomed one at that! A very entertaining and informative video. It was interesting to note all the shallow drill holes in the stones. I wonder if there is any significance there?? Happy Holidays to the ladies and you too, Satolli. Cheers, Mate.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

From what I understand, the drill holes are where the dynamite caps were placed to blow the rock out of the cliff. That's what I've been told. Merry Christmas!

[@ginafleener3962]

We live only a few miles from this bridge. Been there numerous times 😊

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Lucky you!

[@misplacedbuckeye1]

It has been at least 10 years since we have been there. My first time was in the fall of '96. Julie's first time was 50 years ago in the summer of 1974.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Neat place, isn't it?

[@douglascox9863]

Grew up in and around Seymour moved away over 40 years ago. Drove over the bridge many times growing up. Visited the bridge with my wife in 2022.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Neat area, isn't it?

[@brandonbedford]

Great video! This is my favorite spot to fish and kayak. It is interesting to use Google Earth or Historic Aerials to see how drastically the path of the river has changed in this area

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

It has moved quite a bit, hasn't it?

[@jessifromjersey1772]

Speedy recovery to Nick-Hope to see you in a future video soon

[@johnvance5168]

used to be one just outside of Seymour, however it was taken down and has been rebuilt outside of Indy at a park.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Where was that located?

[@johnvance5168]

@@historyinyourownbackyard2363 Just outside of Seymour on SR 258 going toward Cortland. It was located just North of the bridge over the White Water River in that location. Also just out the road is Blue Hole.

[@roberteytchison556]

I remember 3 covered bridges we would see or cross visiting grandparents. Went to visit an uncle a few years back that still lived in the area and all were gone. One had just been washed away in the previous spring flash flood.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Where were they located?

[@arroulford403]

Visited just this August, 2024 and walked through it. Great massive beams. Hard to believe that as late as 1973 people would even consider destroying an historic bridge!

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Times have changed, haven't they?

[@meandthemrs7403]

Thanks to Adventures with Roger, my son and I visited this bridge in the summer of '23. I hope you capitalized on your trip and visited the old dome kilns a very short distance from there. I think it would be interesting to know how deep the piers go. I'm sure that those curved trusses would have been prefabricated elsewhere.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Yes! I'm very familiar with the kilns. Discovered them back in 1994.

[@jimihendrix1575]

There was a beautiful covered bridge about a third the length of this one near my home in Kentucky. Volunteers spent years refurbishing it, only to have it destroyed by arson shortly after its completion. Our society is crumbling.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Was that the one in Washington County a few years ago?

[@jimihendrix1575]

@@historyinyourownbackyard2363 Wow! Correct. I was unable to find ant information about it. Almost as if the story had been buried. I love your channel, and I'm a subscriber.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

@@jimihendrix1575 I contacted the county Judge Executive the day after the fire. I explained to him that we could do a video about the bridge even though it was gone. He was all in favor of it and told me to contact the tourism bureau there in Washington County. I contacted the tourism bureau but the lady had no interest in a documentary on the history of the bridge so that's where I left it. A lot of people out there just don't have the vision about how important this project is for future generations. I'm glad you like the project and thanks for subscribing!

[@ChristyKruger-z1h]

We visited Medora in 2010, sure looks different in your video.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Yeah it's been totally redone since 2010.

[@trolleychai]

Not sure if I have ever visited this bridge... if I have it would have been in the early 1960s. Due to my parents' professional lives I was largely raised by my great-aunt and -uncle, for whom I was named. My great-uncle was a chemist and semi-professional photographer and they spent their vacations traveling around so he could photograph covered bridges; his favorite was Perrine's Bridge just north of New Paltz, NY, where my great-aunt grew up. When my great-uncle passed away in 1986 my great-aunt and I packed up all of his covered bridge slides, except for a dozen or so that I kept, and shipped them off to various covered bridge societies around the eastern United States for preservation.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

There were soooooooo many covered bridges still standing in the early 1960s.

[@WilliamBlume-x2h]

First visited July 7th 2021. J.J. Daniels was quite prolific.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Glad you found it!

[@uncralph4354]

About 10 years ago, we spotted my brother and his wifes initials in a heart, neither has ever been in Indiana let alone the bridge LOL

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

What a coincidence!

[@johnswigler6512]

My lady and I just visited the bridge this past year. 🧢🇺🇸

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Beautiful place.

[@joeanderson9852]

👍👍