Designed by architect, William Wernwag, the National Road Bridge over the White River was completed in 1834. Like most bridges of its day, it had a roof to keep its wooden road bed from rotting out because of rain and snow. By the late 1860’s, however, a bigger bridge was needed.

So construction began on a bridge that would extend nearby Washington Street. Made out of iron, it left the downtown side fifty to a hundred feet south of the National Road Bridge. This second river crossing was completed in 1870.

The National Road Bridge was made out of poplar, a precious hardwood that was termite resistant. Seeing less and less use, it was ultimately dismantled in 1902 and used to make a barge that would build other bridges across the river. 

Its ignoble end tragically belies its importance to the settlement of the West. This is so because until the National Road Covered Bridge was built over the White River, this was where civilization stopped. St Louis, presently referred to as the Gateway to the West, would not have been able to make use of this moniker without the National Road Covered Bridge over the White River.

A bridge did not cross the Mississippi River into St. Louis (until 1874) during the California Gold Rush or when the Mormon and Oregon Trails across America were in their heyday. Nor did the National Road from Washington, DC even reach St. Louis. It stopped 75 mies short of it, in Vandalia, IL

The National Road Wood Covered Bridge was 350 feet in length. While the present day, old Washington Street Bridge is 676 feet long.

To reach the wood covered Bridge, travelers on the National Road coming from the east, had to turn away from Washington St. (which doubled as the National Road thru Indianapolis) just before where the Indy Canal is today. In the below  1866 map of Marion County, registered at the Library of Congress, one can see that what was called Washington Ave., ran on an angle to reach the White River (note also the Gov Morton steamboat which sank after a year in the unnavigable waters as the Robert Hanna steamboat discovered in 1831 when it got stuck in the mud trying to leave a fledgling Indianapolis). This location was chosen because this was where the river was the narrowest. 

Where the National Road Bridge left the eastern shore of the White River, today, is close to where the NCAA headquarters is located.

Indianapolis began here! 

This is a drawing of John McCormick’s cabin which he built in a day with his brothers in 1820. Now marked by what is called McCormicks Rock (in front of the NCAA Headquarters​ and NIFS​), it was the first permanent settlement in Indianapolis. 

Seven years later, in 1827, the National Road, from Washington, DC, would pass next to it. Seven more, the National Road Bridge made its way over the White River to make the frontier easily accessible. 

More pictures and more of the fascinating story about John McCormick.

A more in depth look at the National Road Wood Covered Bridge

 

I have much studied this area for my book, How Indianapolis Built America. Toward that end, HERE is a strong draft of the chapter that I am calling, “The Gateway to the Frontier, Indianapolis Riverfront at the National Road “

 

Other posts about Indianapolis history Martin Krieg created as he wrote "How Indianapolis Built America" are at this link HERE