Baker's Camp Covered Bridge

Baker's Camp Covered Bridge, also known locally as the Hillis Bridge, was built in 1901 by J.J. Daniels, one of Indiana's most prolific covered-bridge builders, whose Burr Arch trusses also survive at the nearby Oakalla and Dunbar bridges. The 128-foot single-span structure carries County Road 650 North over Big Walnut Creek about 1.25 miles south of U.S. 36, roughly two miles from its sister spans, Rolling Stone and Pine Bluff, all crossing the same waterway within the scenic Big Walnut Natural Area. The bridge rests on its original cut-stone abutments and retains its historic Burr Arch truss system, in which a laminated wooden arch works alongside a king-post truss to carry the load. Restored in 2015, the bridge remains open to vehicular traffic on a rural county road, a rarity among Putnam County's aging covered spans. Along with the county's other eight covered bridges, Baker's Camp was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in May 2024, following a nomination effort led by the Putnam County Heritage Preservation Society, Putnam Parks & Pathways, and Indiana Landmarks. It remains one of the best-preserved and most accessible of the county's bridges.