Park Information
HISTORIC SITE TEMPORARILY CLOSED DEC. 24, 2024, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE:
Locust Creek Covered Bridge State Historic Site will be temporarily closed starting Dec. 24, 2024, to prepare for the bridge's relocation to Pershing State Park. Locust Creek Covered Bridge currently spans a dry creek bed and is in danger of being damaged beyond repair if actions are not taken due to the instability of the watershed. To preserve one of the last four remaining covered bridges in Missouri, the bridge will be moved to Pershing State Park and be placed over water once again. The move to Pershing State Park, located at 29277 Highway 130 in Laclede, Missouri, is scheduled for the end of January to the first of February, depending on the weather. For more information, contact Pershing State Park at 660-963-2299 or click here to read the news release.
At 151 feet, Locust Creek Covered Bridge is the longest of Missouri's four surviving covered bridges. It was built in 1868 and became a link in one of the nation's first transcontinental roads, Route 8. The bridge was made of white pine using the Howe-truss system. The essential feature of this design is the use of vertical iron rods to draw the diagonal wooden members tight against the top and bottom of the structure.
The bridge originally crossed Locust Creek north of U.S. Highway 36. Today, however, it spans a section of Locust Creek within Pershing State Park, 5 miles to the south. It was transported there in 2025 due to concerns about watershed instability at its original location. The move likely saved the bridge, preserving it for future generations of visitors.
