Dearborn Historical Marker — Guilford Covered Bridge

Guilford Covered Bridge
Guilford Covered Bridge 

August 22, 2015
Inscription. Built 1879 
Original Design by Archibald M. Kennedy and Sons
Additional Structural Supports added in the early 1900s to sustain heavier loads produced by Guilford's rail commerce
Moved from Yorkridge Rd to park in 1960
Damaged by fire in 1993
Restored in 1997 by LL Brown Co. and the Amos Schwartz Co
For the Dearborn County Park and Recreation Board
And the Dearborn County Commissioners
Location. 39° 10.215' N, 84° 54.508' W. 
Marker is in Guilford, Indiana, in Dearborn County. 
Marker can be reached from Main Street. 
Marker is inside the bridge on the right side as you pass under the bridge from the road.
The Bridge is located in the Guilford Covered Bridge Park. 
Marker is at or near this postal address: 
4785 Main Street, Guilford IN 47022, United States of America. 

Brief History by the Author
Guilford Covered Bridge
Guilford has the last remaining covered bridge in Dearborn County, constructed by noted bridge builder Archibald M. Kennedy & Sons of Rushville. Mr. Kennedy was hired by the County Commissioners in 1879 to construct the 101 foot long bridge spanning East Fork Tanners Creek. Because the bridge was to be torn down and replaced by a concrete bridge in 1961 the people of the county banded together to save the old structure. The populace of Guilford raised the funds needed to tear it down and move it to its current location, in the Guilford Covered Bridge Park, at the intersection of Indiana State Road 1 and York Ridge Road. An arsonist damaged the bridge in 1993, locals restored the bridge in 1997.  Visitors to the park drive through the bridge as they enter the park.
Archibald Kennedy (August 25, 1818  - June 3, 1897)
A native of Guilford County, North Carolina, he was the son of E. L. Kennedy and Martha Kennedy. The family moved to Fayette County, Indiana in 1818. He started working as a carpenter in 1841 and started building covered bridges as a side business in 1853. his first bridge was a two span bridge over the east fork of the Whitewater River in Franklin County. Archibald showed prowess as a bridgebuilder and this soon became his chief occupation. He passed the bridge building buisness on to his sons who in turn passed it on to their sons. The family bridge buildinig business lasted three generations and during that time they built at least fifty-eight bridges. 

Approximate latitude, longitude
+39.17017, -84.90867   (decimal degrees)
39°10'13" N, 84°54'31" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
16/680665/4337743 (zone/easting/northing)

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