Abandoned Eikenberry Bridge, Denver, Indiana

Abandoned Eikenberry Bridge, Denver, Indiana

The Abandoned Eikenberry Bridge, Denver, Indiana

Built in 1920 the Abandoned Eikenberry Bridge near Denver, Indiana is a 2 span steel through truss bridge and was built at a cost of $18,959.00. The bridge is 230 feet long and spans the Eel River.

The bridge is commonly referred to by the locals as the Lost Bridge. Reason being is that although the bridge was completed in 1920, there was only a road on the north side of the Eel River that gave access to the bridge. The south end of the bridge had no road hence the nickname “Lost Bridge”. It was basically a deadend bridge. It wasn’t until 4 years later in 1924 that a road was built on the south end to give local residents a way to cross the river without having to ford it in their cars and trucks.

Naming a bridge during its planning and construction phases is not an unusual practice. Around the state, county officials generally named bridge projects after an individual or family involved with the bridge in some manner. Often the bridge was identified with the name of the owner of land near the bridge or the name of the petitioner. In the case of Eikenberry Bridge, it turned out that Ira L. Eikenberry met both qualifications, he was a petitioner and his family owned the land that the south abutment would eventually rest upon.

The bridge was closed in 2010 and without proper maintenance the wooden deck is now starting to rot away. The southend of the bridge is particularly dangerous with broken and missing floor boards.

Although not suitable to be used by humans anymore, the hornets have found this to be a perfect place to make a nest for the summer of 2020.