LOCAL

Covered bridge sustains minor damage from high water

Daniel Carson
The News-Messenger
Jeff Miller, the Sandusky County Park District's operations supervisor, looks over a damaged section of the Mull Covered Bridge. Miller said he suspected a drifting log in high water may have hit the bridge during recent heavy rains.

BALLVILLE TOWNSHIP - High waters and a swift current along Wolf Creek may have caused minor damage to the 166-year-old Mull Covered Bridge last week, according to county officials. 

Jeff Miller, the Sandusky County Park District's operations supervisor, surveyed a crack in one of the historic bridge's boards on Monday.

Miller said water from Wolf Creek, which runs under the bridge, overflowed its banks and overlapped aparking lot near the bridge.

Based on the damage, Miller said the creek may have risen to the point where it touched the bottom of the bridge.

"I'm sure one big log coming down through there snagged that board and snapped it," Miller said.

Lisa Kuelling, Sandusky County EMA/911 director, said the county got a little more than four inches of rain last week as heavy flooding caused several road closures.

All county roads that were closed due to flooding had reopened by Monday, Kuelling said, except for Sandusky County Road 117 between U.S. 20 and Township Road 56.

The county engineer's office was carrying out flood-related repairs on CR 117 and would be assessing other roads and fixing what was needed, she said.

Kuelling said there had no major damage reported to any homes or buildings.

According to the park district, the covered bridge, which is a "town lattice" truss type, was built in 1851 by the Henry Mull family to allow for safe access for trade to the Mull mill.

Jeff Miller, the Sandusky County Park District's operations supervisor, looks over a damaged section of the Mull Covered Bridge. Miller said he suspected a drifting log in high water may have hit the bridge during recent heavy rains.

Park district director Andrew Brown said the county will assess the damage done and figure out a cost for repairs.

In June 2016, county officials unveiled the newly renovated covered bridge, with about 80 percent of the $340,000 renovation project funded by an Ohio Department of Transportation grant.

The Sandusky County Park District, which worked with Ballville Township and the county on the renovation, contributed $20,000 in matching funds. 

The 166-year-old structure, the only covered bridge remaining in the county, got a new roof and siding and the bridge's beams were replaced during the renovation.

dacarson@gannett.com

419-334-1046

Twitter: @DanielCarson7

Jeff Miller, the Sandusky County Park District's operations supervisor, looks over a damaged section of the Mull Covered Bridge. Miller said he suspected a drifting log in high water may have hit the bridge during recent heavy rains.