Located in Crown Point, Indiana, the Milroy Covered Bridge is 100 feet long, but has an even longer history. Built originally in 1878 by Archibald and Emmett Kennedy over the Little Flatrock River in Henry County, the bridge was eventually disassembled and replaced in 1933.
The original structure was purchased for preservation by John Ward Wheeler, a Crown Point resident and local Civil War hero, and reassembled over a gully at the Lake County Fairgrounds.
There this bridge remained a landmark and backdrop for numerous family photos, Lake County events, and celebrations until 2012. In 2012, the bridge was closed, much to the disappointment of residents and visitors, after an inspection that found structural deficiencies and repairs that needed to be made.
The Lake County Board of Commissioners received a Lake Michigan Coastal Grant for $100,000 to use toward the restoration and repairs of this 140-year-old bridge in 2015. Completed in 2018, the bridge has been fully restored, and provides a unique and historic interpretive area for cultural, historical, architectural, and artistic education.
The Lake County Board of Commissioners worked tirelessly with several partners to restore and preserve this treasured landmark as an enhancement to the Lake County Fairgrounds.
