Ballard Road Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Ballard Road Covered Bridge is a single-span wooden covered bridge crossing the North Branch of Caesar's Creek in New Jasper Township, Greene County, Ohio. It is 80 feet long and built on the Howe truss plan, patented in 1840, which replaced wooden verticals with iron rods that could be tightened with turnbuckles and nuts. The bridge has vertical siding, a metal roof, straight portals with roof overhang, and limestone abutments laid with mortar. The original nomination placed construction around 1850, when Lyman Ballard started a grist mill nearby and gave the road and bridge his name. Later county research credits H.E. Hebble with building it in 1883. It is listed for its engineering significance as one of only 18 Howe truss covered spans remaining in Ohio, and for its scenic setting, which one covered bridge author called one of Ohio's prettiest.
Significance in brief: The bridge is a good example of the Howe truss, a design that used adjustable iron rods in place of wooden verticals. It is one of only 18 Howe truss covered spans remaining in Ohio. It is also praised as one of the state's prettiest covered bridge settings.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 75001408, listed May 29, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NW of Jamestown on Ballard Rd. over Caesars Creek, Jamestown |
|---|---|
| County | Greene County |
| Listed | May 29, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001408 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (about 1850) |
| Architect / builder | H.E. Hebble (builder, 1883, per later research); Howe truss design patented by William Howe |
| Architectural style | Howe truss covered bridge |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition, altered, on its original site; owned by Greene County and in use for transportation. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Dean Family Farm Historic District (Boundary Increase) |
| Coordinates | 39.67825, -83.81509 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 75001408.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4851515
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.