Tornado Destroys Covered Bridge, The Story of The J.D. Coffing Bridge, Attica, Indiana

www.HistoryInYourOwnBackyard.com
Before we talk about this bridge, let’s start at the beginning to see how we got here in the first place...
Originally there was the Mill Street Covered Bridge built in 1861 by the Attica Bridge Company across the Wabash River in the town of Attica, Indiana which is about 20 miles northeast of the J.D. Coffing Bridge.
The covered bridge had two sections separated by a rotating drawspan to allow larger boats to travel up and down the river. The west side of the bridge was longer and appears to have been two spans with an added stone pier for support.
The covered bridge was destroyed by a tornado on May 12, 1886.
Later that year a new wrought iron Pratt through truss bridge was built by the Milwaukee Bridge & Iron Works of Milwaukee, Wisconsin to replace the damaged covered bridge. The new bridge was 7 spans and stood at this location until 1924.
The wrought iron bridge was removed in 1924 but before its removal, it was replaced with this concrete bridge in 1922 known as the Paul Dresser Bridge, which was replaced with the current bridge in 1983. One of the original stone piers still stands. Word has it that the local historical society fought to keep one of the piers standing for historical purposes but the other piers were removed after the 1983 bridge was completed.
But back to the wrought iron bridge...When it was dismantled in 1924 the spans were reused as smaller bridges throughout Fountain County. Two of the spans were rebuilt together over Coal Creek which was named for deposits of coal along its banks. That bridge, known as the J.D. Coffing Bridge is about 259 feet long and sits on County Road 800 South near the community of Coal Creek.
Coal Creek was originally established as Headley’s Mills. However, according to records at the U.S. Post Office, the name was changed by postmaster Samuel I. Snoddy to Snoddy Mills on October 24, 1864. On July 11, 1888 the name was changed once again to Coal Creek by postmaster John D. Orahood.
The name for the bridge, J.D. Coffing, comes from a local land owner John Dayton Coffing who co-foundd Coffing Brothers Orchards just up the road.
GPS Location: 40º00'39.1"N 87º23'05.6"W

[@meandthemrs7403]

It is actually closer to Veedersburg or Covington. I grew up at Kingman, which is a little South of there, and don't remember ever being on that bridge. The story is very interesting. It would have been neat to see the sections being transported that far. I wonder if they brought them down old 41? I remember crossing the old cement bridge at Attica hundreds of times as a kid. In fact, I remember the old steel bridge at Covington (SR 136), and the next two South of there at Perrysville (SR 32) and Cayuga (SR 234). By the way, there used to be a covered bridge crossing Coal Creek at Silverwood or Lodi. We swam under it when I was a teenager in the early Eighties. When I went back several years later, I learned that some kids had set it on fire, and it was replaced as well. You could do a whole show on all the covered bridges that still exist in the next county South, Park County.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Glad you liked the video!

[@thomasquint6352]

​@historyinyourownbackyard2363 you should do the Hendricks ford bridge in Edinburgh indiana it's an old train bridge from 1880 I do believe.

[@rayrussell6258]

Parke, not Park

[@meandthemrs7403]

@@rayrussell6258 Yep. That's right. I forgot.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Can you give me a GPS Coordinate?@@thomasquint6352

[@aaronschulte3207]

Thanks Satolie, stay safe on your travels ❤

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Glad you liked it! As long as I can stay out of the muskrat and otter holes, I'll be good. :)

[@Daffmikeron]

Excellent!! Fountain County has a wealth of great bridges to check out. One of Indiana's treasures, if you like historic bridges!! Needless to say, keep up the good work, Satoli!!

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

They do have a bunch of great old bridge. More videos to come on Fountain County!

[@Carolb66]

Enjoyed this video, fab history & lovely pictures of the old bridges. Beautiful part of Indiana. ❤👍

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Glad you liked the video!

[@meandthemrs7403]

In Matthews Indiana, there is a large covered bridge that was washed downstream several decades ago, and was pulled back upstream and put back in place.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Cool! I'll have to check it out.

[@Shawn666Hellion]

That arch bridge should have been kept, it looked beautiful

[@musclecarmitch908]

Beautiful bridge! Even though it's not the original! Cool old photo of the previous bridge! Great story and history!👍

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

This was a good story. It turned out better then I had planned.

[@barryrahn5957]

I enjoy this Midwestern bottom land scenery, very attractive.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Me too!

[@tylercoffing776]

Come visit Coffing Brothers Orchard that is just down the road! Also if you visit the bridge, please be respectful and do not litter. People dump trash by the bridge all the time and there are a lot of people that enjoy fishing and swimming from this spot.

[@gaspowertoys]

Thank you Satolli! Enjoyed this history. Love that you are still using the same steel guitar theme music here. Perfect soundtrack! Also bring back Suzie sometime. Miss her. Such a charming beautiful lady with top journalist skills. She is a welcome bonus to your interesting channel!

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Glad you liked the video!

[@arrowguy173]

I love old road or even interurban bridges that still stand. Wandering Woodsman here on YT features a lot of covered bridges in PA.

[@1046fireman]

Very nice. Thank you

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Glad you liked the video.

[@jeffs5093]

Another great video, with awesome photos. A lot of historic information in this video.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

This bridge was fun to research.

[@johnalan7730]

I thought this was going to be about the 123 year old R. L. Kennedy covered brdge in Rush county that was hit by a tornado in June of 2008. Used to be the main attraction for the Moscow Covered Bridge Festival. Beautiful bridge lost to Mother Nature.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

I drove across the Moscow Bridge a couple of months ago.

[@davidkimmel4216]

Thanks

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

You're welcome!

[@campermike8879]

Wonder if the other spans remain somewhere out there. Kinda reminds me of Phoenix bridge (recently restored) in Eagle Rock Va Forget if I sent you the location of that one. Built in the 1880's it was moved to it's current location in the 1920's (if I recall correct) and used for rail traffic until around 1950's It now currently carries vehicle traffic today and was restored 3-4 years ago.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

From what I understand, 4 of the 5 steel through truss spans still exist. Two that I mentioned in this video and 2 individual spans that I plan to do videos on in the future. The 5th span was put to use in the 1920s on a county road but has since been replaced. The 2 pony truss end spans are up in the air. No one really knows if they were re-used and if so, where they went to. If you get the chance, send me the GPS location of the Phoenix Bridge. I'm headed to Virginia later this month.

[@ram2791]

Have you done the 2 lane covered bridge in Eaton Ohio?

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Yes I have! Here's the link to it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZC0h4mdfpmrbJI

[@Jbratton1982]

The old rebuilt roberts bridge. My hometown eaton ohio

[@JayYoung-ro3vu]

"Old timers" were practical. "Can't use this bridge here anymore. Let's move it to another site."

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Exactly!!!@@JayYoung-ro3vu

[@Jbratton1982]

@@JayYoung-ro3vu it was burnt years ago at its original location by arson

[@nelsonbergman7706]

This isn't what I thought a covered bridge looks like.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Did you watch the video?

[@kosmokritikos9299]

Then pay attention. Perhaps you'd learn something, but then maybe not.

[@joeanderson9852]

👍👍

[@tomwesley7884]

You're visible

[@johnswigler6512]

🧢🇺🇸

[@rayrussell6258]

County needs to paint the iron bridge. In that rusty condition, it won't last much longer. Those of you in the historical society there need to hound your elected officials in Indianapolis, for infrastructure maintenance funds, before it's too late.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Good point!

[@tomwesley7884]

If its important to folks down there, they'd be better not to rely on government "infrastructure maintenance funds." This bridge, in the government's eyes, is probably a low priority.

[@rayrussell6258]

@@tomwesley7884 what a moronic comment .... you obviously are not from the State where that bridge is, and your negativity must make you a riot at parties!!!!

[@rayrussell6258]

@tomwesley7884 What a moronic comment, you are obviously not from the State where that bridge is, and your negativity must make you a riot at parties!

[@een_schildpad]

Some steel is meant to form a surface layer of rust, which becomes it's own kind of protective layer. I wonder if that's the case with this bridge?