Eldean Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Eldean Covered Bridge is a two-span wooden bridge crossing the Great Miami River about a mile north of Troy, Ohio. James and William Hamilton, who ran a stone quarry near Piqua, built it in the summer of 1860 for a total cost of $4,044.68. It uses the Long truss, an all-wooden design of boxed X's patented in 1830, and has 24 panels over a length of about 234 feet. The white pine siding, stone abutments and pier, and diagonal flooring give it a distinctive character. Repairs in 1922, 1936 and later years added a second floor, steel tie rods, concrete abutment caps and a metal roof. It is the last covered bridge in Miami County, the second longest in Ohio, and one of only four still spanning the Great Miami. The county bypassed it in 1963 and now keeps it as a historic site with a picnic shelter and parking.
Significance in brief: It is the last covered bridge in Miami County and the second longest covered bridge in Ohio. It is also one of only four covered bridges still crossing the Great Miami River. The nomination calls it a fine, now rare example of the Long truss and an outstanding example of Civil War era engineering.
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 75001492, listed February 20, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Spanning Great Miami River at bypassed section of Eldean Rd. (CR 33), Troy |
|---|---|
| County | Miami County |
| Listed | February 20, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001492 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1860) |
| Architect / builder | James and William Hamilton (builders) |
| Architectural style | Long truss covered bridge (wooden, 24 panel) |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good and unaltered on its original site. Bypassed by the county in 1963 and preserved as an historic site with a parking area and picnic shelter. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.07781, -84.21658 (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 75001492.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14716411
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.