Published: November 25, 2009 10:13 pm         

Vandals damage Bridgeton covered bridge, steal Christmas decoration

Boards removed from side of bridge, take 8-foot high wreath

BRIDGETON — An eight-foot-high Christmas wreath has been stolen from the exterior of the Bridgeton Covered Bridge, just days prior to the community’s Country Christmas event.

The loss of the wreath has angered many residents in the small community, which prides itself on the local history of the covered bridge, grist mill and other attractions that bring tourism dollars to the local economy.

“Yesterday, a lot of people were very upset,” said Mike Roe, owner and operator of the historic Bridgeton Mill on Wednesday afternoon. “I won’t even tell you what people wanted to do to whoever took it.”

The theft was discovered Tuesday morning. Evidence left behind shows that the culprits got to the large artificial wreath by removing five boards from the bridge wall to access the central pier in the middle of Big Raccoon Creek.

Once out there, the thieves (Roe said at least two people had to be involved to carry the heavy wreath) stuffed the wreath back through the opening in the wall, as evidenced by the artificial greenery scattered along the floor of the bridge. Fragments of decorative lights and electrical cords also show the path of the wreath as it was taken to the south entrance of the bridge to be loaded onto a vehicle.

The wreath cost about $400 when it was purchased a few years ago. Several people in the community worked together to string lights on the wreath and to decorate it with a large bow.

To hang the wreath this year, a local contractor used his boom truck to reach over from the nearby modern bridge that bypasses the covered bridge.

In the past, access to the bridge from below was easier. But the reconstruction of the crumbled dam across the creek led to the restoration of the mill pond beneath the bridge. The dam was finished this past October, three years after the current bridge was opened in October 2006. The original double-span Burr Arch structure built in 1868 was destroyed by arson in 2005, but the community immediately pulled together with the decision to rebuild the landmark.

Blanche Case, who helped decorate the wreath, said thefts and vandalism are an ongoing problem in the small community. Because the bridge is at the north end of town, it is out of view of many residents, but more lights have been added in the area to help deter mischief.

Case, who operates the historic 1878 House, the Case Log Cabin and the 1878 Barn, agrees that acts such as the wreath theft hurt the community’s effort to attract visitors.

“Our little town would be nowhere without tourism,” she said.

Roe said that in the 14 years since he purchased the nearby grist mill, vandalism has been a constant problem locally. In fact, just two days after its ribbon cutting the new bridge had graffiti inside it.

Last year the mill property was broken into twice, so Roe put up security cameras. However, none point toward the bridge.

“However,” he said Wednesday, “my system has room for one more camera, so I’ll add one to watch the bridge.”

Roe said it is his opinion that the theft was likely a prank pulled by area youths. The damage done to the bridge could have been worse, he said. None of the boards was broken, and they were set aside by the culprit rather than being thrown into the creek.

“They had to be here for a while,” Roe hypothesized. “I’m hoping someone who drove by will have seen something and they can report it.”

The Parke County Sheriff has taken a report on the theft, and county officials have been notified of the damage to the bridge since the county owns the bridge.

Roe said he hopes the wreath will be returned in time for the Country Christmas holiday event, which runs the next two Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

“To tear up a covered bridge to steal a Christmas ornament, it’s just senseless,” Roe said.

Anyone with information about the theft and vandalism can call the Parke County Sheriff’s Department at (765) 569-5413.



Lisa Trigg can be reached at (812) 231-4254 or lisa.trigg@tribstar.com.

     

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