List of covered bridges in Alabama

Last updated

Below is a present list of Alabama covered bridges. There are currently eleven historic covered bridges remaining in the U.S. state of Alabama. Of those, six remain at their original locations.

The comparison between authentic and non-authentic covered bridges are by how they are constructed. Covered bridges made with stringers instead of traditional style trusses are considered non-authentic, although in some terms, a stringer construction is also a type of truss. Examples of truss construction on covered bridges include Howe, Town Lattice, Queen-post, King-post, Haupt, Burr, Brown and Pratt. Of the existing historic covered bridges in Alabama, the Gilliland-Reese Covered Bridge and the Old Union Crossing Covered Bridge are classified as non-authentic based on their current construction.

NameImageCountyLocationBuiltLength (ft)SpansNotes
Alamuchee-Bellamy AlamucheeCB.jpg Sumter Livingston 186188Duck PondMoved to the University of West Alabama campus in 1971.
Clarkson-Legg ClarksonCB.jpg Cullman Bethel 1904270 Crooked Creek Currently the second longest historic covered bridge in Alabama and third longest overall in the state. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Coldwater ColdwaterCB.jpg Calhoun Oxford ca. 185063outlet of Oxford LakeMoved to Oxford Lake Park in 1990. Currently the oldest covered bridge in Alabama. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Easley EasleyCB.jpg Blount Rosa 192795Dub Branch -- Calvert Prong of the Little Warrior River Oldest of three covered bridges remaining in Blount County. Bridge open to motor vehicle traffic. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Gilliland-Reese GillilandCB.jpg Etowah Gadsden 189985Small Pond near Black Creek Moved to Noccalula Falls Park in 1967.
Horton Mill HortonMillCB.jpg Blount Oneonta 1934220 Calvert Prong of the Little Warrior River Highest covered bridge above any United States waterway. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Kymulga KymulgaCB.jpg Talladega Childersburg 1861105 Talladega Creek Located in Kymulga Park. Both the bridge and gristmill were restored in 1974. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Old Union Crossing OldUnionCrossingCB.jpg DeKalb Mentone ca. 186390 West Fork of the Little River Built in Calhoun County. Moved to its current location in 1972 (private). Rebuilt in 1980.
Salem-Shotwell Salem-ShotwellCB.jpg Lee Opelika 190043 Rocky Brook Originally 76 feet. Destroyed on June 4, 2005 by a fallen tree. Rebuilt at Opelika Municipal Park.
Swann SwannCB.jpg Blount Cleveland 1933324 Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River Currently the longest historic covered bridge in Alabama and second longest overall in the state. Bridge open to motor vehicle traffic. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Waldo WaldoCB.jpg Talladega Waldo 1858115 Talladega Creek Located behind the old Riddle Mill, now named the Old Mill Restaurant (private).

These modern covered bridges shown below either have or will soon have historic eligibility. According to the National Register of Historic Places, a structure needs to be at least fifty years old to be considered historic although there are other criteria as part of the evaluation to be listed such as integrity and significance. All are classified as non-authentic covered bridges with most of them being privately owned.

NameImageCountyLocationBuiltLength (ft)SpansNotes
Askew Lee Auburn 196824private streamBridge is located at a private residence.
Cambron Covered Bridge Green Mountain.jpg Madison Huntsville 197490 Cove of Sky Lake Bridge is located atop Green Mountain at Madison County Nature Trail Park.
Fosters Houston Dothan 197224Outlet to Lochenglen Lake Bridge is located at a private residence.
Gargus Etowah Gallant 196622Gargus Bass LakeBridge is located at a private residence.
Mountain Oaks Jefferson Hoover 197026 Huckleberry Creek Bridge is located in a residential area of Hoover and is currently open to motor vehicle traffic.
Tannehill Valley Estates TANNEHILL VALLEY COVERED BRIDGE.jpg Jefferson McCalla 197242 Mill Creek Bridge is located at Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park near the John Wesley Hall Grist Mill.

Below is a list of some historic covered bridges in Alabama which were eventually destroyed, removed or altered.

NameCountyLocationBuiltLength (ft)SpansNotes
Bangor Blount Bangor N/AN/A Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River Bridge no longer extant.
Big Bear Creek Colbert Allsboro mid-19th CenturyN/A Big Bear Creek Bridge no longer extant.
Blount Springs Blount Blount Springs 1931N/A Murphy Creek Bridge no longer extant.
Bolte Cullman Bolte N/AN/A Brindley Creek Bridge was destroyed by a tornado on March 21, 1932.
Brookwood Tuscaloosa Brookwood ca. 1850177 Hurricane Creek Bridge burned down in 1965.
Butler Mill Madison New Hope 1884165 Paint Rock River Bridge was replaced in the late 1940s.
Buzzard Roost Colbert Cherokee ca. 182094 Buzzard Roost Creek One of the first covered bridges in Alabama. Bridge burned down on July 15, 1972.
Cane Creek Calhoun Ohatchee 1886N/ACane CreekBridge was destroyed by a flood in early 1936.
Chamblee Mill Blount Blountsville N/A97 Blue Springs Creek Bridge no longer extant.
Chattahoochee River Barbour Eufaula 1833540 Chattahoochee River One of the longest covered bridges constructed in Alabama. Demolished in 1924.
Chosea Springs Calhoun Choccolocco N/A98 Choccolocco Creek Bridge was demolished in 1963.
Cofer Cullman Trimble N/A239 Ryan Creek Bridge was dismantled around 1934.
Cowikee Creek Barbour Eufaula N/AN/A Cowikee Creek Bridge was demolished in 1913.
Cripple Deer Creek Colbert Allsboro ca. 1859N/A Cripple Deer Creek Bridge no longer extant.
Crooked Shoals Blount Nectar 1931N/A Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River Bridge burned down in 1954.
Dean's Ferry Blount County Line 1930N/A Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River Bridge no longer extant.
Dillingham Street Russell Phenix City 1832400 Chattahoochee River Bridge was destroyed during the Civil War Battle of Girard in 1865.
Duck Branch Blount N/A1930N/AN/ABridge no longer extant.
Duck Springs Etowah Duck Springs 1879119 Big Wills Creek Unique structural design. Bridge burned down on July 7, 1972.
Five Points Blount Blountsville N/AN/A Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River Bridge was destroyed by a flood.
Gable Blount Blountsville N/A240 Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River Bridge no longer extant.
Garden City Cullman Garden City 1891280 Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River Bridge burned down on October 12, 1951.
Gay Cullman Pleasant Grove 1898123 Eight Mile Creek Bridge was dismantled in 1963.
Golden's Mill Tallapoosa East Tallasee N/AN/A Sougahatchee Creek Bridge no longer extant.
Hillabee Creek Calhoun Hicks N/AN/A Hillabee Creek Bridge was destroyed by a flood in early 1964.
Hillabee Creek Tallapoosa Alexander City N/AN/A Hillabee Creek Bridge no longer extant.
Inland Blount Remlap 1930N/A Blackburn Fork of the Little Warrior River Consisted of two covered bridges crossing a river bend. The road was eventually rerouted sometime around 1960 and the bridges were no longer needed.
Joy Road Blount Blountsville N/A121 Austin Creek Bridge was demolished.
Kilpatrick Cullman West Point N/AN/AN/ABridge burned down on October 3, 1937.
Lidy Walker Cullman Berlin 192650Outlet to Lidy's LakeBuilt in Blount County. Moved to Lidy's Lake in 1958 (private). Collapsed in August 2001.
Lincoln Talladega Lincoln 1903160 Choccolocco Creek Bridge burned down on July 15, 1963.
Loachapoka Lee Loachapoka N/AN/A Sougahatchee Creek Bridge was destroyed by a flood around 1919.
Locust Fork Blount Locust Fork 1927N/A Little Warrior River Bridge was replaced in 1953.
Mardis Mill Blount Blountsville N/AN/A Graves Creek Bridge no longer extant.
Meadows Mill Lee Beulah 1902140 Halawakee Creek Located near Meadows Mill, a historic gristmill. Bridge burned down on October 4, 1973.
Mellon Calhoun DeArmanville late-19th Century100 Choccolocco Creek Bridge burned down on October 3, 1970.
Miller Tallapoosa New Site 1887600 Tallapoosa River Once the longest covered bridge in the United States. Bridge destroyed during a flood in July 1963.
Mulberry Cullman Hanceville N/A220 Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River Bridge no longer extant.
Nectar Blount Nectar 1934385 Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River Once the seventh longest covered bridge in the country. Bridge burned down on June 13, 1993.
Norman Montgomery Montgomery N/AN/A Catoma Creek Bridge no longer extant.
Oakachoy Coosa Nixburg 191656 Oakachoy Creek Old wagon ruts located near site. Bridge burned down on June 2, 2001.
Old Tin Sides Talladega Childersburg N/AN/A Tallaseehatchee Creek Bridge no longer extant.
Phillips Etowah Duck Springs ca. 1823N/A Big Wills Creek Bridge no longer extant.
Pintlala Creek Montgomery Hope Hull 1861114 Pintlala Creek Bridge demolished in the mid-20th Century.
Putman Cullman Hanceville N/A474 Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River One of the longest covered bridges constructed in Alabama. Bridge no longer extant.
Rockhole Blount Summit N/A121 Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River Bridge no longer extant.
Sanford Cullman Bremen N/A152 Ryan Creek Bridge no longer extant.
Slab Creek Blount McLarty 1933N/A Slab Creek Bridge was destroyed by a flood on February 3, 1936.
Snead Blount Snead N/A46 Big Mud Creek Bridge no longer extant.
Standridge Blount Hayden 1934432 Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River Bridge burned down on November 18, 1967.
Tallahatchee Calhoun Piedmont ca. 190061Pond near Nances Creek Moved to Piedmont from nearby Wellington in 1975 (private). Bridge may be still in private use although there are currently no reports of its continued existence.
Tanner Cullman Baileyton N/A257 Duck Creek Bridge no longer extant.
Trimble Cullman Trimble N/A151 Ryan Creek Bridge no longer extant.
Tyre Green Blount Locust Fork 1933127 Little Warrior River Bridge no longer extant.
Vaughn Blount Hayden 1934N/A Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River Bridge no longer extant.
Ward's Mill Blount Susan Moore N/AN/A Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River Bridge no longer extant.
Wasden Road Montgomery Hope Hull 185182 Pintlala Creek Bridge collapsed in 1965.
Welti Road Cullman Welti ca. 1904100 Eight Mile Creek Bridge burned down on October 22, 1939.
Wetumpka Elmore Wetumpka 1844N/A Coosa River Bridge was destroyed by a major flood in 1886.
Whaley Mill Cullman Hanceville N/A52 Whaley Mill Creek Bridge was replaced in 1963.
Woods Lee Auburn N/A100 Sougahatchee Creek Bridge collapsed on April 21, 1959.
Wool Mill Autauga Prattville N/AN/A Autauga Creek Bridge collapsed in 1916.

NOTE: Tallaseehatchee Creek and Tallasseehatchee Creek are two different waterways. One is located in Talladega County, while the other is in Calhoun County (also called Tallahatchee Creek).

References