Scipio Bridge

Built in 1886 by the Smith Bridge Company of Toledo, Ohio for a reported cost of around $600, the Howe truss Scipio Bridge spans Sand Creek at the north edge of the unincorporated community of Scipio. It once carried a state highway route linking North Vernon's rail lines to the Jennings County seat of Vernon, remaining part of the state highway system until traffic was rerouted in 1935. The bridge was rehabilitated in 1941 and again in 1984, with a more extensive restoration—covering the roof, siding, deck, portals, and stone abutments—completed in 2015. A parallel bypass bridge was later built nearby, relieving the historic span of through traffic. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 24, 2022, one of just two surviving historic wooden truss bridges in Jennings County, alongside the James Bridge. In recent years inspectors have found deck deterioration, and the bridge's vehicle access has been restricted pending further repair, though it remains standing and accessible for viewing as a preserved piece of the county's transportation history.