Dunns Bridge

Bridge Documented: October 21, 2006

Thanks to Tom Hall for visiting and photographing this bridge.

This extremely unusual bridge is similar to the even more unusual Sugar Creek Chapel Bridge in Illinois. The two bridges are undoubted related in their histories.

Thanks to James Cooper and James Stewart for helping me think up some ideas on the origins and construction of this bridge as discussed below. This bridge is only seven panels in length rather than eight as in Iroquois County's example. According to James Cooper's Iron Monuments book, which documents Indiana's historic bridges, there have been rumors that the Dunn's Bridge's trussed arch came from the 1893 World Columbian Exposition Ferris Wheel. This claim is not well backed up, especially considering that the arches are not concentric. Some have also claimed the bridge came from a 1904 Indiana Building at the St. Louis World Fair. This however does not seem as likely. Rather, the bridge may have come from some other 1893 World Columbian Exposition structure. There were other buildings besides the Ferris Wheel in the 1893 Columbian Exposition from which the trusses of this arch bridge could have originated from. An identification of the builder remains a mystery, although the names P.E. Lane and a "Chicago Bridge Company" have come up as possible builder. P.E. Lane operated a Lane Bridge and Iron Works company, but it is possible he has some sort of relationship with the Chicago Bridge Company as well. These are all speculations, but they are the best ideas that have surfaced so far. Thanks to James Stewart and James Cooper for doing some research and investigating to turn up these ideas.

Interesting arched lattice railings still remain on the approach for this restored bridge. These may have been taken from a different section of those roof trusses, as they are essentially identical to the sway bracing seen on the bridge.

Below are some historic photos of the bridge.