McColly Covered Bridge
National Register of Historic Places

McColly Covered Bridge

Bloom Center, Logan County, Ohio
Listed
May 27, 1975
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
75001458

About this property

The McColly Covered Bridge is a historic wooden covered bridge in western Logan County, Ohio, United States. Located in Washington Township near the community of Bloom Center, it is one of two remaining covered bridges in Logan County. It carries County Road 13 (formerly called the "Covered Bridge Pike") over the Great Miami River, approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) south of its source at Indian Lake. The bridge was built in 1876 by the Anderson Green Company of Sidney, Ohio at a cost of $3,103 and named for nearby landowner Nicholas McColly. Although Anderson Green built many other bridges statewide, including another bridge in southwestern Logan County, it is the only remaining bridge built by the company in any location. It is approximately 142 feet (43 m) long, with a clearance of 16 feet (4.9 m) and a total width of 20 feet (6.1 m). In 1974, the McColly Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its significance in Ohio's history. At that time, it was one of only eighteen remaining Howe truss bridges in Ohio. Although the nomination assessed its condition at "good," by the 1990s, the number of Howe truss bridges nearly fell to seventeen, as the McColly Bridge had deteriorated to the point that an engineering survey in 1996 pronounced it to be in imminent danger of collapse. Restorations in 1943 and 1958 involved replacement of floorboards, strengthening of trusses, and raising the bridge to reduce the danger of flooding. Despite these repairs, the county closed the bridge in July 1993 due to structural deterioration from vandalism and recent floods. The 1996 engineering summary identified several serious faults: the bridge had tilted so that its portals were no longer square, many of the beams had rotted, a collision had damaged the interior, and nearly one-third of the bridge's siding had disappeared. In early 2000, the Amos B. Schwartz Construction Company of Geneva, Indiana was hired to repair the bridge, and it was reopened on November 14, 2000, ten months and over $690,000 after the commencement of repairs. The Ohio Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration provided aid for this project and recognized it as "an outstanding example of preservation, rehabilitation and reuse of a historic bridge."

Location

Bloom Center, Logan County, Ohio
40.40104, -83.92418

Categories

ENGINEERING
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about McColly Covered Bridge

This page lists McColly Covered Bridge. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your McColly Covered Bridge report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Lawrence, William, House
Industrial
9 mi
First Concrete Street In U.S.
Civil War
9.1 mi
Logan County Courthouse
Civil War
9.1 mi
Emanuel Lutheran Church of Montra
Industrial
9.1 mi
Schine's Holland Theatre
Industrial
9.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was McColly Covered Bridge listed on the National Register?

McColly Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 27, 1975.

What type of historic resource is McColly Covered Bridge?

McColly Covered Bridge is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for McColly Covered Bridge?

The period of significance for McColly Covered Bridge is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near McColly Covered Bridge?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near McColly Covered Bridge will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Logan County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Logan County.

Explore LoganCounty ›

More historic places in Ohio

Browse all historic places in Ohio.

View Ohiohistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Ohio history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Ohiohistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near McColly Covered Bridge will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report