News Release
WARSAW — Friends of the Trails invites the public to join a spring work party from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, at the Old Chinworth Bridge Trailhead Park, located at the intersection of CR 350W and W Old Road 30 in Warsaw.
Volunteers will help remove invasive plants, clear brush, and prepare the area along the river for future native plantings.
Volunteers are welcome to come for an hour or stay for the day. Clothes appropriate for working in brush are recommended, including long pants and sleeves, work gloves, and sturdy shoes.
Volunteers should also bring loppers and pruners if possible.
Dugan Julian, Regional Specialist with the State of Indiana Cooperative Invasives Management, will provide education on identifying invasive species in the park and safe and effective removal.
The historic Chinworth Bridge, a 140-foot iron Pratt through Truss Bridge, has been in place since 1897.
In 1924, the National Highway Act set the route for the Lincoln Highway through Warsaw and the land surrounding the bridge became the Tippecanoe River Rest Park.
After US Highway 30 was widened and moved to its current location, the Chinworth Bridge was dedicated in 1975 as a historical landmark and closed to vehicle traffic.
The Chinworth Bridge and the surrounding park are owned by Kosciusko County. In February, the Kosciusko Historical Society signed the park over to the County. The Old Chinworth Bridge Trail greenway connects the park to the City of Warsaw to the east and was extended to the west last year.
The Kosciusko Parks and Recreation Board and County government officials are making plans to enhance the park and restore the historic bridge in the next few years.
