FISHERS, Ind. — A unique, historic bridge is coming to Geist Park in Fishers.
On Sept. 5, a restored Bell Ford Bridge will be put in place across a branch of Geist Reservoir.
The bridge will cross parallel to Florida Road, near the point where Fall Creek feeds into the road.
There is no bridge quite like it—it's the only post truss bridge in the entire world.
It was built in 1869 in Seymour, which is in Jackson County.
It spanned the White River for 100 years before being deemed unsafe. It was put on the National Register of Historic Places shortly before a wind storm caused it to collapse into the White River in 2006.
The pieces of the bridge were recovered from the river, and eventually found their way to the Hamilton County Jail, where they have been restored since 2018.
The bridge will be part of the Geist Greenway Trail.
Hamilton County Parks and Recreation says the bridge has been rebuilt using mostly original materials. It will be a little shorter and narrower than its original construction, now that it is a pedestrian bridge.
The project cost about $7.5 million, with almost half of that money coming from federal grants.
“Bringing the Bell Ford Bridge to Geist Park is a tremendous achievement made possible by the efforts of many partners," Hamilton County Parks Director Chris Stice said. "We are excited to see this historic structure become a new landmark that the community can enjoy for years to come.”
The addition of the Bell Ford Bridge is one of a series of upgrades Geist Park will receive. Hamilton County Parks and Recreation plans to update the restroom and shelter, as well as add more parking spaces.
