Indiana Architectural Database Spotlight: Duck Creek Aqueduct
Duck Creek Aqueduct
Metamora, Indiana
Whitewater Valley Canal Company
October in Indiana is known for the brilliant colors in the changing leaves and also for the Covered Bridge Festival located in Parke County. The Duck Creek Aqueduct may not be located in Parke County or be truly considered a covered bridge, but it is similar enough to deserve to be mentioned with them.
The aqueduct was originally constructed in 1843. It is a single-span covered wood aqueduct that carries the Whitewater Canal 16 feet above Duck Creek. The structure includes a walkway for pedestrians (so it really is covered bridge as well). Construction involves the use of a unitized Burr Truss, which is a combination of an arch and multiple king-posts truss design.
It is the only surviving covered wood aqueduct in the country. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and achieved National Historic Landmark status in 2014. The structure was built as a component of the Whitewater Canal in southeastern Indiana. It is one of Indiana’s hidden treasures and is included as one of the first 50 projects in the Indiana Architecture Database created by the Indiana Architectural Foundation.
The Indiana Architecture Database was created to archive significant architectural works within the State of Indiana. For more information about this project and the Indiana Architecture Database visit https://www.architectureindiana.com/.