On three Saturdays in the summer of 2010, I drove as many old alignments of US 50 as I could find in Indiana, from Ohio to Illinois. I wrote about that trip on my old Roads site, but now I’m bringing that material to this blog.

As US 50 passes into Ripley County, it becomes wooded and a little twisty.

US 50 in Ripley County

It’s a fun drive. This is also the original 1926 alignment of the road.

US 50 in Ripley County

Soon the road enters Versailles, which is pronounced verSALES. (I did not know when I made this trip that the original alignment of US 50 here came in from the east on the current alignment, but then turned north on the road just east of Laughery Creek, and then took the first left. There the Busching Covered Bridge, which still stands, carried US 50 over the creek. This road is County Road 25 South today. US 50 continued on this road to Perry Street in Versailles, and then west on Perry Street.)

This is where US 50 intersects with US 421, which is the “auto trails” alignment of the Michigan Road. You’d think that this would be the heart of a bustling downtown, but Versailles built its downtown just north of here. It made sense at the time, as the major north-south road wasn’t US 421 or the Michigan Road, but a plank road that followed Adams St. north out of town. That route was bisected when the lake north of town was created by the Army Corps of Engineers.

US 50 in Versailles

US 421 and US 50 briefly run concurrently in Versailles.

US 50 in Versailles

West of Versailles, US 50 intersects the Michigan Road’s original alignment. At a quick glance, you’d never guess you were crossing a historically significant road.

US 50 at the Michigan Road

If you look to your left, though, you might notice this historical marker. It could use a little TLC.

US 50 at the Michigan Road

Update: On a visit to this spot in early 2022, I found that the marker had at last gotten that TLC!

Michigan Road marker at US 50

Since my 2008 Michigan Road trip, Ripley County erected this marker on this corner, as well.

US 50 at the Michigan Road

Shortly the road comes upon tiny Holton. Or, should I say, the road bypasses tiny Holton. (I did not know when I made this trip how the original US 50 alignment rejoined the current alignment. I do now; it’s outlined in red on the map excerpt below.)

Imagery ©2022 CNES / Airbus, IndianaMap Framework Data, Landsat / Copernicus, Maxar Technologies, USDA/FPAC/GEO. Map data ©2022 Google.

Here’s where the two roads diverge.

Holton

The 1916 Automobile Blue Book talks about crossing a bridge at 61.6 miles. When I trace the route and count the miles, there’s a bridge on modern US 50 at that point. But Google Maps shows something else just south of the current bridge – an older, abandoned bridge! I was pressed for time and had not done full research before I made my recent trip along this portion of US 50. I didn’t know about this bridge and so missed the opportunity to photograph it! Fortunately, a bridgefan passed through here before me, photographed the bridge, and shared his findings at bridgehunter.com. Here’s the bridge from the air. See it there, just below the current bridge?

Next: US 50 in Jennings County.

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Comments

4 responses to “US 50 in Ripley County, Indiana”

  1. Kurt Ingham Avatar

    So cool! Thanks once again Jim!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      My pleasure!

  2. Jeff Shroyer Avatar
    Jeff Shroyer

    Jim, I believe the current route, going up the hill to enter Versailles, was a WPA project about 1936. The US Highway Dept was established in 1926, and slowly looked to upgrade “obsolete” trails. The covered bridge over Laughery Creek was a traffic impediment. Ewing Bridge, Jackson Co, was the same impediment. Enjoy Denmark or wherever you are!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Thanks for the details about the current alignment into Versailles! Makes sense; that is typical of the kinds of improvements Indiana made in the 1930s.

      I’m not convinced that the Ewing Bridge was ever part of US 50. All of the maps I have show 50 heading south out of Brownstown toward Vallonia.

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