Lockington Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Crossing the west channel of the Great Miami River one mile east of Lockington, this two-span covered bridge carries County Road 132 on a 20-panel Long truss, a type patented in 1830 by Col. Stephen H. Long of the U.S. Army Topographical Engineers. The county engineer dates it to 1848. It measures 178 feet overall with a 166-foot clear span and a 16-foot roadway. Vertical siding runs up to the eaves, the roof is wood shingle, and the cut stone abutments and pier are original. Steel channels and steel rods were later added for reinforcement, but the outward appearance has changed little, and the bridge has never been painted. It is the last covered bridge in Shelby County and one of only eight Long trusses left in Ohio. Its construction coincided with the heyday of the Miami and Erie Canal, which created the community of Lockington and its six hand-dressed stone locks.
Significance in brief: It is the last covered bridge in Shelby County and one of only eight Long trusses remaining in Ohio. At 178 feet it is among the longest covered bridges in the state. It also belongs to the historic Lockington area, which grew up around the Miami and Erie Canal.
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 75001532, listed June 10, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1 mi. E of Lockington on SR 132, Lockington |
|---|---|
| County | Shelby County |
| Listed | June 10, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001532 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1848 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as kept in good condition, with some steel reinforcement added; the site is unaltered in location and open to the public without restriction. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.20111, -84.21612 (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 75001532.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6665659
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.