PARKE COUNTY GUIDE - Parke County COVERED BRIDGE FESTIVAL - VISITORS GUIDE - Rockville Indiana

Welcome to Central Parke County

Ready for a leisurely getaway? We invite you to come and spend some time in Central Parke County. You can tour covered bridges, stroll around quaint town squares, visit an art gallery, wonderful meals, delicious wines and inviting inns.

2018 Featured Artist - Barbara Flock

2018 Featured Artist: Co-Founding Member Barbara Flock by Catherine Thompson, daughter, September 2018.

Barbara Flock (1931-1999) was a lifelong resident of Parke County and one of the founding members of the Covered Bridge Art Association (CBAA) established in 1965 with co-founders Louise Michael, Delores Collings. Lois Sciotto and Sue Dooley. Barbara’s art career began as a student at Herron School of Art in Indianapolis. While there, she worked as a graphic fashion artist for LS Ayres, Co.

Covered Bridge Campground at Rockville

Brian Williams owns and operates the Covered Bridge Campground. He has 73 sites, a shower house and public restroom.

Come join us for some fun during the festival or just for a family friendly weekend!

You can view our pictures on Facebook or at www.coveredbridgecampground.com

Timeless ‘n Classic Antique Mall, Rockville

Jill and Bill Dixon are the quintessential fun loving, friendly, knowledgeable and downright folksy owners of Parke County’s largest antique venue. The couple have been collecting antiques and vintage items since the early days of their marriage. Jill has been a lifelong Covered Bridge Festival crafter along with her mother, Millie Warnick, an early member of the Covered Bridge Art Gallery who was instrumental in bringing the Mansfield area into the festival mode.

Why Are Covered Bridges Covered?

Here are the Answers to Your Covered Bridge Questions

by Kelsey Canfield

Q: Why are covered bridges covered?

A: The roofs were placed on the bridges simply to keep them protected.

With the main support system of the bridges being inside, it is of the greatest importance to keep the beams clear of rain, snow and even sun.

The harshness of Indiana’s climate would leave the bridge rotten from the rain and snow, and weathered from the sun. Not the greatest combination if you need to use this bridge to travel from place to place.

Q: Why does the bridge say “Cross this bridge at a walk”?

A: Early cars had a gear called ‘walk’…..nah. Just kidding! When bridges began to be built, there were no automobiles. Their primary form of transportation was by horse or a horse drawn carriage. Bridges, like many structures, have a natural frequency of vibration. A force that’s applied to an object at the same frequency as the object’s natural frequency will radiate and amplify the vibration of the object. This is called a mechanical resonance. If a horse walks across the structure, they apply a force at the frequency of their step. If their frequency is closely matched to the bridge’s frequency, the horse’s rhythmed step will amplify the vibrational frequency of the bridge. If the mechanical resonance is strong enough, the bridge can vibrate until it collapses from the movement. So, long story short...if you are planning on taking your horse drawn carriage through a covered bridge on a romantic date, take it slow through the bridge - at a walk. As for traveling in your car, take it slow. No need to peel out and blaze through the bridge in fear of the bridge collapsing.

Q: Why are there so many bridges in Parke County?

A: Parke County has a large number of creeks and streams wandering through the landscape. Hence the building of bridges to cross said streams. With an abundance of trees in our area, bridge builders harvested these ancient trees to create the lumber necessary to build these covered bridges. The county was dotted with bridges over every stream and in multiple points of each stream. As the years passed, many still stood. Others were replaced due to flooding, and some were never rebuilt. Then came a time in the early 1900’s that more modern bridges were replacing the older wooded covered bridges. Steel and concrete paved the way to more sound and reliable bridge options.

While others replaced their covered bridges, Parke County continued to just maintain what we had - in part due to the cost of the upgrades. We may have been poor-but we are rich in history!

Eagles in Flight Weekend at Turkey Run

Join us January 25th-27th, 2019 at Turkey Run State Park where the Eagles in Flight Weekend will occur at both the Inn and Nature Center. Discover nests, an overnight roost & hunting grounds as we explore the habitats of bald eagles. Enjoy live eagle, hawk, and owl programs!

Old Jail Inn & Drunk Tank Winery

The Old Jail Inn Parke County started in 2009, with the purchase of an 1879 flat steel, riveted door and frame in the basement of the abandoned jail. The door leads to the original Drunk Tank. The jail was transformed by Debra Olson in four months. It was a labor of love once the idea was conceived.

Neva’s Antiques & Collectibles in Rockville

If you are looking for something from the past, an unusual item of the modern day or an antique of unique style--the place to look is Neva’s Store on the north side of the square in Rockville. It’s the most complete compilation of eclectic wares around.

Heirloom Traders Association

Whatcha Got? Is it antique, vintage, or collectible? Antique - 100+ year old items; Vintage - items ranging from 40 to 99 years old; Collectible - anything one decides to collect (age doesn’t matter).

As Parke County’s Covered Bridge Capital has grown from only a few antique shops to more than a dozen, a collective group of shops and vendors has emerged to decipher “whatcha got?”. Formed in the winter of 2016, they are the Heirloom Traders Association (HTA).

Roll On In - Wheel House Donuts

Welcome to the Wheel House, home of custommade cake donuts! You pick the icing and the toppings, and we custom-make the donut just the way you want it.