Indiana Bridge Company records

The Indiana Bridge Company is Muncie, Indiana`s oldest manufacturer. When the Indiana Bridge Company was established by Theodore F. Rose and associates on May 17, 1886, the company built truss bridges not only for the needs of Indiana but nationwide. It later converted to making steel girders for the construction industry. On November 12, 1886 the company moved from Indianapolis to Muncie by train and on May 25, 1888 C.M. Kimbrough became president of the Indiana Bridge Company. He led the plant until his death in 1932. In 1904, the company upgraded by building new facilities at the present day site. During World War I, the Indiana Bridge Company participated in the mobilization for the war by producing steel for the United States and its allies. The company prospered after the war until the Great Depression hit in 1929. During the Great Depression J. Lloyd Kimbrough became president upon his father`s death and served the company until 1937. Upon J. Lloyd Kimbrough`s death his brother Frank H. Kimbrough was elected president of the company. Once again the Indiana Bridge Company helped mobilize for war from 1939 until 1945. When Frank H. Kimbrough died in 1946 his brother Hal C. Kimbrough decided to sell the company and on August 6, 1947 Taylor and Gaskin Inc. bought Indiana Bridge Company thus ending the long history of Kimbrough leadership.

The Indiana Bridge Company under the new management followed the ups and downs of the economy from 1947 to 1962 when the company had to close the doors; however, the closing was short-lived as local investors in Muncie put capital back into the business and reopened the doors in 1963. In 1971 the Indiana Bridge Company was bought by an Alabama firm and two years later bought by Debron. In 1978 Bristol Steel bought the Indiana Bridge Company from Debron, but fours years later due to economic hardships the plant was closed. In 1984 the Indiana Bridge Company reopened its doors. Indiana Bridge Company still operates in Muncie, Indiana.