Bridgeton Historic District – Bridgeton IN

Description

About 8.6 acres, renovated by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), completed in 1942

. Bridgeton Historic District is located along Bridgeton’s Mains Street and encompasses the town’s center of commerce, industry, civic activity. Collom’s General Store (56005) and Bridgeton Country Store (56025) are notable examples of mid to late 19th century rural Indiana commercial architecture. Bridgeton Masonic Lodge (56012) is representative of higher style commercial architecture. The first floor of the Italianate building originally houses a drug store. The Bridgeton Mill (56014) is an outstanding example of early industry and is the oldest continually operated grist mill in Indiana. The present 1870 structure replaced an earlier mill built in 1823. The mill and the Bridgeton covered bridge (56015) made the town an important commercial center in southern Parke County. Bridgeton’s downtown was also a center of civic activity and the town hall ( 56004) was the sight if numerous community events. Today, the town hall building is privately owned and is a seasonal shop open

during the Covered Bridge Festival and special events. It is called “The Olde Town Hall” The finer homes in town were built along Main Street close to the downtown area. Thus, Bridgeton Historic District include Bridgeton’s only examples of high style architecture. 56006 and 55018 are outstanding examples of the Italianate style. Even though Bridgeton H.D. has some significant examples of unaltered architecture, several

buildings have been either slightly or severely altered. Three commercial buildings have had their top story removed, including 56011, which was so altered that is not longer contributes to the district. In addition, some buildings have been torn down and replaced by empty lots or contemporary buildings, such as the post office (56010) built in 1978. Today, downtown Bridgeton has only three businesses open year round, Collom’s General Store, post office, and the Bridgeton Mill (although it does close for a couple of months during the winter). The majority of businesses in town are only open during the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival and special events. Thus, Bridgeton’s commercial district has transcended from a center of local business and shopping to a seasonal tourist-based place of business.