Though no particularly clear information can be found on when the bridge was erected, since the settling of the area now known as Sycamore park in 1811, the bridge has existed and undergone numerous reconstructions, updates, and upgrades for various reasons until its current state.
The covered bridge at Sycamore Park is the very identity of Pickerington Ohio, not just in the fact that is the mascot of all government and cultural programs associated with Pickerington but also for the fact that it is the center piece of the most beautiful park in Pickerington. The Covered bridge, despite all its beauty and importance falls victim to vandalism and is all too often used as a space for underage drinking and smoking after dark as evident from the amount of broken glass and cigarette butts littering the stream it crosses. In addition to the abuse of its interior and its surroundings, the covered bridge has also not had any amount of upkeep done on it for a rather long period and thus has several rotted portions of the floor and sidings. Though this damage is not enough to make it unsafe, it does make it somewhat of an eyesore when look at it from the banks of the creek.
I do not believe that the Covered Bridge at Sycamore needs a full reconstruction, however I do believe that it needs some of the flooring replaced, a good clean up, and a repainting to return it to its vibrant white that it had when it was constructed. Though I am not entire confident of Pickerington’s economic standpoint, I do believe that it is their responsibility to maintain the structure that they call their “pride and joy”.
Though the Covered Bridge at Sycamore is still used by some, I do firmly believe that after its restoration, the Pickerington community will be happy to increase use of it.
Logan Benson