The 3 Mystery Bridges of Cedar Grove, Indiana
About 1/2 mile east of Cedar Grove, Indiana on the north side of U.S. Route 52 is a paved road that parallels Route 52 for about 1/8 of a mile. From what I’ve found out, this may be the old Route 52 roadway before it was realigned around 1927. The first section of this roadway is about 750 feet long and is gated off just past that pickup truck on the other side of the concrete bridge.
I contacted the Franklin County Engineers office about the former alignment and the bridges I will be showing you today but they didn’t have any information on hand about either. However, Julie Schlesselman with the Franklin County Library told me that U.S. 52 was originally called State Road 39 prior to 1924. Sometime between 1927 and 1930 the road was paved and received its official designation of U.S. Route 52.
So this first concrete bridge was probably built around 1920, bypassed about 10 years later yet still remained in service as a county road that eventually went up the hillside connecting with Haining Road.
The second concrete bridge along this alignment is about 500 feet further East. This concrete arch bridge is a bit smaller and features straight right angle walls as opposed to the “stepped walls” on the first bridge. Once again this bridge was probably built around 1920, then bypassed yet still used as a county road. Shortly after this bridge, the road forks. The former alignment goes off to the right while what I believe to be the original county road leading up to Haining Road goes off to the left.
The third bridge which is stone and concrete is about 900 feet further east on the former alignment. The road leading back to this bridge is still dirt and rock. What’s left of the bridge, crosses a small ravine that drains water from the hillside into the Whitewater River. The bridge can be seen from U.S. 52 during the Winter but is almost completely hidden during the Summer when the foliage is in full swing.
Three historic bridges within 1/4 mile of each other. This is history in your own backyard folks!
GPS Location: 39º20’59.5″N 84º55’00.3″W
Video Release Date: March 13, 2023
