Bridge of Dreams
Encyclopedia
The Bridge of Dreams is a 370 foot covered bridge
located near Brinkhaven, Ohio. Originally built in the 1920s as a railroad bridge, and covered in 1998. It is the second longest covered bridge in Ohio after the Smolen–Gulf Bridge, and third longest covered bridge in the United States
.
in Knox County, Ohio
. It is a pedestrian and bicycling bridge and part of the Mohican Valley Trail, a nature trail built on an abandoned railroad bed belonging to the old Penn Central railroad. The bridge is closed to motorized traffic but is often used by Amish
buggies.
A railroad bridge at the site, carrying the Penn Central line over the river, was constructed in the 1920s. By the early 1990s, the line had been abandoned and a group of local residents and businesses developed a plan for converting it into a multi-use trail stretching from the Holmes County line near Brinkhaven, to Danville. The most ambitious aspect of the plan was to cover the 370 foot railroad bridge. Skeptics of this expensive plan claimed that its proponents were "dreaming", which led backers to adopt the name "Bridge of Dreams" for the project. Eventually planners were able to raise the almost $90,000 through contributions and a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources
. The "Bridge of Dreams" was completed in December 1998 and dedicated in April 1999. The Mohican Valley Trail officially opened on June 15, 2001. Today the trail extends from East Street in Danville to the Holmes County Line, connecting the Kokosing Gap Trail
and the Holmes County Trails.
Covered bridge
A covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides...
located near Brinkhaven, Ohio. Originally built in the 1920s as a railroad bridge, and covered in 1998. It is the second longest covered bridge in Ohio after the Smolen–Gulf Bridge, and third longest covered bridge in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
The Bridge of Dreams spans the Mohican RiverMohican River
The Mohican River is a principal tributary of the Walhonding River, about 40 miles long, in north-central Ohio in the United States. Via the Walhonding, Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 999 square miles .The Mohican River is...
in Knox County, Ohio
Knox County, Ohio
Knox County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of 2010, the population was 60,921. Its county seat is Mount Vernon and is named for Henry Knox, an officer in the American Revolutionary War who was later the first Secretary of War....
. It is a pedestrian and bicycling bridge and part of the Mohican Valley Trail, a nature trail built on an abandoned railroad bed belonging to the old Penn Central railroad. The bridge is closed to motorized traffic but is often used by Amish
Amish
The Amish , sometimes referred to as Amish Mennonites, are a group of Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of the Mennonite churches...
buggies.
A railroad bridge at the site, carrying the Penn Central line over the river, was constructed in the 1920s. By the early 1990s, the line had been abandoned and a group of local residents and businesses developed a plan for converting it into a multi-use trail stretching from the Holmes County line near Brinkhaven, to Danville. The most ambitious aspect of the plan was to cover the 370 foot railroad bridge. Skeptics of this expensive plan claimed that its proponents were "dreaming", which led backers to adopt the name "Bridge of Dreams" for the project. Eventually planners were able to raise the almost $90,000 through contributions and a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources was created in 1949 by the Ohio Legislature. It is a government agency in the U.S. state of Ohio charged with maintaining natural resources such as state parks, public lands, state forests, state waterways, and recreation areas.Divisions of ODNR...
. The "Bridge of Dreams" was completed in December 1998 and dedicated in April 1999. The Mohican Valley Trail officially opened on June 15, 2001. Today the trail extends from East Street in Danville to the Holmes County Line, connecting the Kokosing Gap Trail
Kokosing Gap Trail
The Kokosing Gap Trail is a 14-mile-long recreational trail built on a former Pennsylvania Railroad bed alongside the Kokosing River in east central Ohio. The trail begins in Mount Vernon and winds itself to Danville via Gambier and Howard.-History:...
and the Holmes County Trails.