(by Celia Case)
Take a scenic drive through the hills and valleys of the beautiful Southern Parke County countryside, and you won’t want to miss the town of Bridgeton. Let the peace and charm of this historic town take you back in time…
The first sight you won’t want to miss is the Bridgeton Covered Bridge, Mill and Dam. You will likely recognize the scene as it is one of the most famous subjects for photographers and artists in the Midwest. The original bridge was built in 1868, destroyed by an arsonist and rebuilt in 2006. The Mill, oldest continually operating mill west of the Alleghenies, is the third one on the site and was originally built in 1823, with the current one built in 1870.
Take a few minutes to sit by the waterfall any time of day or night and enjoy the beautiful scenery and sound of the water rushing over the dam. Whether you have lived here all your life or are visiting it for the first time, you can’t escape the feeling you’ve been transported back to the 1800’s!
Take a stroll down Main Street through our historic district and you’ll see buildings that haven’t changed substantially since before the turn of the last century! The two-story Masonic Lodge was built in 1869 by Dr. James Crooks, one of the early settlers in Bridgeton, and is the oldest building in town still at its original location. The 1878 House was built by Ralph Sprague, an early owner of the mill. The 1822 Case Log Cabin was originally built by Seba H. Case near Coxville, was moved to its current site and opened in 2002.
Other buildings in the first block downtown are the Ole Town Hall built in 1874, Jones Place built in the 1870’s, Country Store built in 1886, the Bridgeton Bank built in 1891, Homestead Handiworks built in 1892, Collom’s General Store built in 1904, the Old Firehouse built in 1921, and The Station built in 1932.
As you stroll down the streets, you’ll see other old structures in the town, including the Thompson Law Office built prior to 1892, the Baldridge House built in 1906, the Barnes House built in 1883, and the Lattice Shop built circa 1903.
The Old Schoolhouse, built in 1925, is well worth the short walk down Main Street and is not to be missed.
As you stroll through the town, it is easy to glimpse another time, like a view through a window to the past.
Love this article! I can't wait to visit Parke County.
Posted by: Katherine Beck | August 27, 2008 at 02:21 PM