Historic 1901 Indiana school suffers extensive damage in 2022 fire

August 25, 2025 / Roadtirementvintage / Leave a comment

While on a recent day trip to Parke County, Indiana to enjoy the many covered bridges we came across a sad sight. A large sign explained that we were viewing the Wabash Township Graded School that was open from 1901 until 1986 in the town of Mecca.

Front face with bell tower

Main Entrance

A devastating fire occurred in November, 2022. This fire completely destroyed the pitched roof of the 1901 main building and the flat roof of the gymnasium that was a 1923 addition. Both roofs collapsed during the fire.

View of gym addition

Gym wall, roof gone

The structure was listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. Following is from the original application for this listing: The architectural style of the 190l-l9l0 main section of the building shows Richardsonian Romanesque influence, which is evident in the bell tower, rock-faced lintels and voussiot’s, arched doorways and belfry openings…

Sign placed well before the fire

Local references report that sometime after the school closed in 1986 the structure was used as a community center. The fire damage that is visible is quite extensive. Rebuilding would be very costly, if not cost prohibitive.

Recreated 1874 one room schoolhouse in Parke County Indiana

August 20, 2025 / Roadtirementvintage / Leave a comment

Recently Sher, our son and I were enjoying a road trip in Parke County, Indiana to visit some of the 31 covered bridges that dot the landscape. As we approached the last bridge on the Red Route (one of five self driving road sightseeing tours) we saw a small red building.

The one room schoolhouse from 1874

Over the door

The Mecca Bridge reflected in a window

This single story frame structure was identified as a school in Wabash Township #3 with a date of 1874. It was about 30 yards from the Mecca Bridge built in 1873.

Blackboard, teacher’s desk. rocking chair and wood stove

Where the children sat and learned their three “R’s”

The school was locked, but I was able to peer through the windows and get decent photos. You can imagine the kids attending the school, with one teacher covering all of the grades. No lights, no AC, and the only heat from a wood stove at the front of the room.

Parke County, Indiana, Covered Bridge Capital of the World

August 19, 2025 / Roadtirementvintage / 8 Comments

Park County Indiana is home to two Indiana State Parks and the 2,110 acre Raccoon Lake State Recreation Area. In addition Parke County is home to 31 covered bridges, more than any other county in the nation. Rockville is the county seat and also is the starting point for 5 different well marked self driving road tours to see most of the 31 bridges.

The 245′ Bridgeton Bridge and associated mill, The bridge was burned by arson in 2005, rebuilt in 2006.

These historic bridges are fairly evenly scattered over the 444 square miles of the county. Every October over two million visitors converge on Parke County for the world famed 10 day Covered Bridge Festival. People come to see the bridges and shop any of the thousands of vendors who occupy building’s or temporary tents that sprout up allover the county.

Crooks Bridge, 132′ long, built in 1856 by Henry Wolfe

Neet Bridge, 125′ long, was built in 1904 by JJ Daniels

Note the Red Arrow. This shows the easy self driving tour routes.

We took the 34 mile long Red Route starting at the Rail Road Depot in Rockville. This drive brought us up close and personal to eight old covered bridges. Some we could drive across, some were closed to traffic with a new roadway running next to the bridge.

Harry Evans Bridge, 65 ‘ long, built by JA Britton in 1908

Showing the Burr-Arch support design of the Evans bridge. This design is found in 30 of the Park County bridges including one double Burr-Arch.

Our road trip to Parke County was, in our opinion, most successful. Along with our drive along the Red Route of covered bridges, we also had some other stops that we’ll share in other articles here. Just know this: a road trip to Parke County Indiana offers country roads and viewing historic bridges, enjoyable dining and shopping opportunities. Click here for the Park County Visitor’s Center website.

Indiana’s huge covered bridge festival

October 12, 2015July 2, 2022 / Roadtirementvintage / Leave a comment

Large crowds looking for that elusive bargain!

Each October Parke County, Indiana is the scene of the annual Covered Bridge Festival. This event sees close to two million people converging on the area for a ten day festival. While there are several beautiful vintage covered bridges scattered throughout the county, most folks come for the shopping.

And shopping there is! There are several small communities that become filled with vendor tents, food concession trailers and outdoor ‘yard sale’ type setups. It is true to state that if you can think of it it can be found for sale somewhere amongst the thousands of different vendors set up.

That’s our RV on the right in the background, set up at the old school campground at Bridgeton Indiana

We have set up camp in the little town of Bridgeton at an old (1920’s) school building grounds. There are several vendors set up on the grounds along with some food concession trailers. A few blocks north of our location there are hundreds of inside and outside vendors set up selling their wares. There are hand made crafts, new merchandise, antiques large and small and tons of “re-purposed” items. It is amazing how many ways an old wood pallet can be reused!

One of the hundreds of vendor displays at Bridgeton

The Parke County Covered Bridge Festival should be on your bucket list. It is one of the largest festivals of its kind in the country. People from all over the country come to shop, as well as come to set up their booths and tents to sell. There are plenty of RV campgrounds nearby and many private land owners open their yards and fields for RVs to camp during the festival.