Old Red Bridge

Built in 1875 by contractor William T. Washer working for the Smith Bridge Company of Toledo, Ohio, the Old Red Bridge carries a single-span Smith Type IV (triple-web) truss across Big Bayou Creek in Wabash Township, near Hickory Ridge and Griffin in far southwestern Gibson County. Local tradition holds that its heavy timber frame was prefabricated out of state and shipped by river before final assembly on site, with area sawmills supplying additional lumber. The bridge rests on stone and later concrete-reinforced abutments, and its red-painted board-and-batten siding gave it its enduring nickname. It served rural farm roads until a bypass crossing was built nearby around 1980 to relieve the historic span of vehicle traffic and preserve it. It has since been maintained with periodic repainting, stonework repairs, and added security measures. Along with Gibson County's other Smith truss span, the Wheeling Bridge, it was put forward for National Register of Historic Places listing through a 2024-2025 nomination effort led by Indiana Landmarks' Historic Bridges Initiative. It remains open to pedestrians only.