Indiana State Fair Bridge

Unlike the other bridges in this directory, the Indiana State Fair Covered Bridge is not a surviving 19th-century structure — it is a modern, purpose-built replica constructed in 2008 by contractor Dan Collom, whose firm had rebuilt Parke County's historic Bridgeton Bridge two years earlier after arson destroyed the original 1868 span in 2005. The Fairgrounds bridge borrows Bridgeton's Burr Arch design and general appearance but is a newly engineered structure built specifically as a tribute: it honors Indiana's roughly 90 surviving historic covered bridges and celebrates the state's hardwood timber industry. At 90 feet long and 21 feet wide, it officially opened on Band Day, August 6, 2008, at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. Rather than crossing a natural waterway, the bridge spans a driveway/roadway near the west end of the fairgrounds' horse track, letting vehicles pass safely beneath while pedestrians cross above; the structure also functions as a rentable banquet and special-events hall. Because it was built new rather than relocated or restored, the bridge carries no NRHP listing and no 19th-century engineering pedigree — its significance is symbolic and educational rather than historic. It remains open and in active year-round use as a fairgrounds landmark and event venue.