Indianapolis' most endangered landmark
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Traders Point Covered Bridge is a 19th century survivor. Photos: Courtesy of Indiana Landmarks
Indiana Landmarks' latest list of the state's most endangered landmarks includes an Indianapolis covered bridge that has staved off demolition and degradation for 145 years.
Why it matters: The organization says Traders Point Covered Bridge and the nine other structures in need of saving are architectural treasures that tell our state's story.
What they're saying: "Indiana Landmarks uses its 10 Most Endangered list in several ways. Sometimes it serves an educational role. It functions as an advocacy tool. And it can assist in raising funds needed to save a place," Indiana Landmarks president Brad Ward said in a statement. "Each endangered place tells a distinct story, and each faces its own set of challenges."
- "In all cases, when an endangered place lands on our list, we commit to seeking solutions that lead to rescue and revitalization."
How it works: Each year, the nonprofit preservation organization highlights places facing abandonment, neglect, dilapidation, development pressure and/or owners who lack money for repairs.
- Since the list's introduction in 1991, 21 of the 172 Most Endangered sites have been demolished, and 105 places are completely restored or no longer endangered.
- The rest, including Traders Point Covered Bridge, need help.
Zoom in: Traders Point Covered Bridge is the only Marion County site on the list released this week.
- Other 2025 selections include the Rudicel-Montgomery Polygonal Barn in Waldron; the Sposeep & Sons Building in Wabash; Shields Memorial Gymnasium in Seymour; and the Emily Kimbrough Historic District in Muncie.
Flashback: Local bridge builder Josiah Durfee originally constructed Traders Point Covered Bridge in 1880 over Fishback Creek in northwest Marion County.
- It was first threatened with demolition in 1959 as the state highway commission improved West 86th Street to feed traffic onto a newly built Interstate 65.
- Farmer DeWitt V. Brown saved the bridge by buying and relocating it to private property at 91 W. 82nd St., where it stands today.
Threat level: Indiana Landmarks estimates that only 90 of the more than 600 covered bridges believed to have been built in Indiana during the 19th century remain.
What's next: Advocates believe a revitalized Traders Point Covered Bridge could serve as a tourist attraction if relocated to Eagle Creek Park.
Reality check: In 2022, Indiana Landmarks funded a study that showed rehabilitating and moving the bridge would cost roughly $2 million.
The bottom line: Saving historic structures often isn't easy. Or cheap.