I think most drivers aren't aware of the number of bridges they cross but they would sure be aware…read moreof them if they were missing. Imagine the hassle of trying to drive your vehicle over some stream or creek instead of zipping on by at 40 or more miles per hour. This is one such bridge and if it wasn't for the sign, I wouldn't have been aware of the historic nature. National Road and this bridge were here before US-40 was built nearby and of course, I-70 passes by a few miles away. So think back in time and here we are. The marker reads, "This Bridge was completed by Army Engineers sometime between 1834 and 1837 as part of the Old National Road, between Cumberland, Maryland and Vandalia, Illinois, was authorized by the enabling act of 1803 and was the Nation's first federally financed highway. The Bridge is a prime example of the Stone-building art and early American Engineering. Stones were precisely cut and fitted together without bond or mortar. Many stone arch bridges were built along the Cumberland Road, but this was the only one is still in use at the time of the marker dedication." The marker was erected in 1976 by the Clark County Historical Society and the Illinois State Historical Society.. There is not room to pull over on the bridge but there is a nearby crossroad where you can stop and see the bridge from the side. It's an impressive structure especially considering that it is over 150 years old and in constant daily use. [Review 19671 overall - 126 in Illinois - 643 of 2023.]

Reviewing historical structures like this can be difficult, but for any Historic National Road…read moreenthusiast - it's a must-do! If you are heading west out of town, be sure to check out the Old Stone Arch Bridge. No, you can't pull over and look but you can turn left on Oak Crest Road and pull off there. That way, you get a nice view of the bridge. If you want to read the historical marker, then you gotta walk up a-ways. By the way, did you know Abraham Lincoln went across this bridge many times during his lawyer days?

If you like covered bridges you'll love the Cumberland County Covered Bridge…read more Built in 1832 it stood strong until 1865 when the original bridge was washed out by a storm. It was then reconstructed in 1875 only to be washed out yet again in 1912. In 1920, the bridge was replaced once more and held out until 1996, when it was wiped out yet again. In 2000, the Cumberland County Covered Bridge, as it is now known today, was built to replicate the original version from 1832.

Highly recommend taking a trip out to the small unique town. There's plenty very large things check…read moreout like a giant mail box or a rocking chair. Some solid restaurants are available as well but they do seem to close early. People are friendly and more than willing to take a photo of you standing in front of a giant taco.

this is a crooked town with a crooked police force. They extort money from the citizens and pull…read moreover tourist extort more money to generate revenue for themselves

Situated about half a mile north of Coxville on County Road 325W (gravel), this Single Span Double…read moreBurr Arch Truss structure was built by Joseph A. Britton in 1908 to span Rock Run Creek. The bridge is still in use, although it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. #19 on the Parke County Covered Bridge Map, it is but one of the twelve covered bridges that Britton put up in this county.

Just a few miles off the Red Route for touring Parke County Covered Bridges is the Harry Evans…read moreCovered Bridge between Mecca and Coxville, IN. The Burr arch-truss style bridge was built in 1908 and restored in 1977, so it is in pretty good shape. The bridge is still in service though traffic is told to greatly reduce speeds to a walking pace to cross the span. The red and white bridge with black lettering has a total length of a modest 81 feet with a span of around 61 feet which crosses the Rock Run. To find this bridge, take US 41 west of Rockville just passed Mecca Road to CR 325W (4.3 miles). Head south for 5 miles to reach the bridge. Much of this is gravel road. Also of interest is that this bridge is only 0.8 miles away from Roseville Covered Bridge which is also on CR 325W to the south. Zacke Cox Covered Bridge is fairly close to the north along CR 325W, half a mile east on Tickridge Road. If you are coming from Rosedale, take Main Street/Coxville Road north 2.25 miles to Coxville and CR 325W. Head east/north for about 1 mile on CR 325W. Review #3203

In fair disclosure, my involvement with Ryves Hall Youth Center in Terre Haute, Indiana came on two…read moredifferent occasions - the first in which I spoke to children and youth involved with the organization as part of a social justice awareness event and the second due to a fundraiser/awareness event where Ryves received part of the funds from the event. If you know anything about my work as an activist, then you likely know that I gravitate toward grassroots efforts where the modest amounts that I raise will actually make a difference. Ryves Hall Youth Center, a program of Catholic Charities of Terre Haute, is such an operation. Located at 14th & Locust in Terre Haute, Ryves serves children aged 3-17 with services that range from a pre-school to after school supports to a meal, recreational programs, educational supports, mentors, tutors, sports programs, scouting programs and so much more. During my first visit to Ryves, I fell in love with the place as this diverse group of young people listened with focus and enthusiasm as I attempted to plant seeds of hope for some of Terre Haute's most at-risk children and youth. You could tell the staff and volunteers cared about the kids and I promised at the time that I'd return despite being on an event and living nearly 100 miles away. So, as I entered Ryves this past weekend it felt good to have honored that commitment. This was a more casual, less formal visit that involved meeting the kids and learning more about Ryves Youth Center. For example, I learned a fun fact - the first Scout at Ryves to attain Eagle Scout was a youth with Down Syndrome. I loved this. No child is turned down for entering Ryves and the organization serves a diverse population comprised largely of those kids considered "at risk" and many whom are homeless or in circumstances where their only meals are at Ryves or at school. Having had the chance to share a meal with these kids, I can testify that the food is healthy, tasty and well prepared. Ryves offers a program called "TIME for Me," a trauma-informed mentoring program that pairs of children with trained mentors who've also been trained for awareness on the various traumas that impact the lives of these kids. In terms of access, a person in a wheelchair does best if entering through an East entrance that offers a level surface and fewer obstacles. The facility, which is at a building known as Etling Hall, is shared with a food pantry and is housed in an older building that comes with all the challenges of an older building housing a non-profit. Ryves did recently have a grant that paid for some flooring upgrades and the involvement of the community has made the building more accessible than one might expect. Ryves advertises itself with a banner that was created for it proclaiming it the "Miracle on 14th Street" and, indeed, this has been my impression from two visits to the small but mighty youth center. They accomplish a lot with very little and provide stability and healthy role models for kids who truly need it.

I want to know why I get fired for talking about something that a old lady said. But the woman in…read moredaycare Tonya can put a black child in the library and camera but nothing happens to her. They grab on them kids but nothing said. But when I say something that Ms Ruth was mad about they calling me in the office. Great job pinkstaff.

This Single Span Burr Arch Truss bridge was constructed in 1920 by Joseph A. Britton and his son…read moreEugene. It carries County Road 130E across Little Raccoon Creek. Still in use, the bridge is best approached by turning south from the Rockville-Bridgeton road on CR 130E, which is paved on the northern end. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, this is #14 on the Parke County Covered Bridge Map. Here you can walk under the bridge and examine the structure in detail, although it does take a bit of effort to get up and down the embankments to the stream bed.

If you are a bit of an adventurer, then venture off the planned trails of Parke County (the red and…read moreblack trails come closest) to find this newer addition to the covered bridges. Built in 1920, this is another Burr arch-truss structure over the often crossed Little Raccoon Creek. The bridge covers a span of about 152 feet with an overall length of 169 feet which makes it a middle sized bridge for the state. The bridge has the standard red and white coloring with black lettering on the exterior. No windows are located inside this active bridge though there is venting along the top of the side walls. Because there is no parking here and the bridge is active, it is tough to get out and walk around the bridge without putting yourself and your vehicle at risk of oncoming traffic. Fortunately, if you are paying attention, there are long sight lines in both directions. The easiest way to get here is still going to require travel over unpaved/gravel roads. From Bridgeton Road, take CR 600S (2.5 miles from Bridgeton, nearly 8 miles from Rockville). Head west about 1.5 miles to CR 130E. Turn north and follow about 1000 feet to the bridge. You will have to drive to the next crossroad to turn around or you can continue north to CR 400S and head east back to Bridgeton Road. Review #1373

Although my review is only a 2 in the Yelp world, I still believe a public library (regardless if…read moreit appears to be as antiquated and dated as the Vigo County Public Library) is a vital resource to a community. So my heart wants to give it higher stars, but it is what it is. If you go to libraries in general, as I do, this library is indeed just at best a 2. It is not a bad library, nor did I have a bad experience, it is just kind of an old crappy library. I would describe it as somewhere between nostalgic and antique. I say this based on having visited this library 20+ years ago (there might still be some of the same material floating around), it still has that feeling of a time capsule and times gone by. In a world where people can look at an atlas on line or simply buy the book used on Amazon, maybe libraries are simply loosing their footing in many peoples eyes. I hope this is not the fate of this institution, despite my 2 rating. While stopping in today to simply check it out, this library is indeed being used by people in the community in which it serves. I saw many at the public computers browsing the web, kids in the children area reading books and smiling attendants at the front desk. There was a little art installation set up down one corridor. I parked myself on a bench and read a bit while observing the happenings going on in the lobby of the library. Something about this space seems old, but old like a blanket your grandma had (which is good and bad at the same time....this is how I feel about this library). If you wanted to pop in to read the local paper, while catching some A/C in a welcoming spot & safe place at no cost, you could come here, and I suppose this is at the heart of a public library. This library is basic, needs a freshening up of some sort and serves this local population in a way that only a small time community library can. After writing this review, I think I might be a library snob and only just figured it out.

The library has cordial and helpful staff. While the selection can sometimes be limited in certain…read moreliterary genres, overall, there is a solid collection of books here. I am able to find many books in the purview of Classic Fiction, Poetry, Science Fiction, History, and Philosophy, with ease.

This Single Span Double Burr Arch Truss design was built in 1912 by Joseph A. Britton to carry the…read moreCatlin Road over Big Raccoon Creek. Bypassed in 1961, it sits alongside the paved Rosedale-Rockville road. There is ample parking just to the south of the modern bypass, but the new road is so close to the bridge that photographs have to be taken at an angle. #16 on the Parke County Covered Bridge Map, in 1978 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

A short distance northeast of Rosedale, Indiana is the Thorpe Ford Covered Bridge. Built in 1912,…read morethis typical red and white covered bridge with black lettering was bypassed in 1961, but remains accessible for pedestrians. It also uses the Burr arch-truss support system to support its 181 feet length which spans 163 feet over the Big Raccoon Creek. Located near a bend in the road, I was able to pull over at the side of the road and walk to this bridge. It has windows inside for views of the creek. However, on my visit, it was raining and so I didn't get as much chance to explore the bridge as I would have liked. To find this bridge from Rockville, take Market St/Catlin Road south from Rockville about 10 miles. From Bridgeton, you can take Bridgeton Road south to High Banks Road which heads west/south for about 2 miles to Rosedale Road. Take the twisting Rosedale Road west for about 5 miles until you get to the Town of Rosedale. At 1000S/Central Street, head west 1/4 mile to Cemetery Street and head north. Cemetery Street become Catlin Road. The bridge is 1.5 miles from town. Review #3174