Horton Mill Covered Bridge

Infobox_nrhp | name = Horton Mill CB
nrhp_type =


caption= The Horton Mill Covered Bridge near Oneonta, Alabama.
nearest_city = Oneonta, AL
lat_degrees = 34 | lat_minutes = 00 | lat_seconds = 27.52 | lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 86 | long_minutes = 26 | long_seconds = 55.05 | long_direction = W
area =
built = 1934
added = December 29, 1970
governing_body = State
refnum=70000099 cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-08-17|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=U.S. National Park Service]

Infobox Bridge
bridge_name=Horton Mill CB


caption=
official_name=
carries=single lane motor traffic
crosses=Calvert Prong of the Little Warrior River
locale=Oneonta, Alabama
maint=Alabama Historical Commission
id=01-05-07 (WGCB)
design=Town Lattice truss
mainspan=
length=220 ft (67 m)
width=11 ft (4 m) clearance
height=
load=3 US tons (2.72 metric tons)
clearance=9 ft (3 m)
below=
traffic=
begin=
complete=1934
open=
closed=
toll=
map_cue=
map_

map_text=
map_width=
coordinates= coord|34|00|27.52|N|86|26|55.05|W|region:US_type:landmark
lat=
long=

The Horton Mill Covered Bridge is a state owned wooden covered bridge that spans the Calvert Prong of the Little Warrior River in Blount County, Alabama, United States. It is located on a river crossover (Horton Mill Road) to Ebell Road and Covered Bridge Circle off State Route 75 about 5 miles (8 kilometers) north of the city of Oneonta. Coordinates are coor dms|34|00|27.52|N|86|26|55.05|W|city (34.007644, -86.448625).

Built in 1934, the 220-foot (67-meter) bridge is a Town Lattice truss construction over two spans. Its WGCB number is 01-05-07. The Horton Mill Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 29, 1970, the first covered bridge in the southeastern United States to be added. At 70 feet (21 m), it is the highest covered bridge above any U.S. waterway. The bridge is currently closed to motor traffic due to vandalism which occurred in late 2007. It is maintained by the Alabama Historical Commission, Blount County Commission and the Alabama Department of Transportation.

History

The original Horton Mill Covered Bridge was built in 1894 at the foot of Sand Mountain, about 3/4 mile (1 kilometer) downstream from the current bridge. It was named for a local business owned by Thurman M. Horton, who helped construct the first bridge. This bridge allowed residents of Sand Mountain a better means of access to nearby Oneonta as well as to Horton's mill and general store which were located along the east side of the Calvert Prong.

Construction of the current Horton Mill Covered Bridge began in 1934 over a deep gorge cut by the river, led by Talmedge Horton...a family descendent of Thurman Horton. It took a 15-man crew 1 1/2 years to complete the project. This crew included Zelma C. Tidwell and his uncle, Forrest Tidwell, who helped in building three other prominent covered bridges in Blount County (Easley, Nectar, Swann). The bridge was fully restored in 1974 by the Alabama Historical Commission and the Blount County Commission. It is one of three historic covered bridges remaining in Blount County.

The Horton Mill Covered Bridge was reported closed to motor traffic on September 27, 2007 due to unsafe conditions. According to a member on the photo website Flickr as well as a report from the "The Blount Countian", vandals attempted to remove some of the roof supports on the west side of the bridge by tying a cable or chain around them and attached the other end to either a tow hitch or hook...using a vehicle to try and pull them out, causing significant damage. A photo showing the damaged end of the Horton Mill Covered Bridge can be seen by clicking the reference link to Flickr below. It is currently unknown as to when the bridge will undergo necessary repairs. As of January 2008, no maintenance of any kind has been done and the bridge remains closed to motor traffic. It has recently been heard that if and when the covered bridge is reopened, it will be for pedestrian use only. This statement though is not yet official.

Dimensions

Main Span Length: 80.1 ft (24.4 m)

Total Span Length: 208.0 ft (63.4 m)

Deck Width: 11.2 ft (3.4 m)

Vertical Clearance: 8.5 ft (2.6 m)

Underclearance: 70.0 ft (21.3 m)

"Above measurements are approximate and unofficial. Total span length is not always the same as total bridge length." cite web|url=http://bridgehunter.com/al/blount/11039/|title=Historic Bridges Database|date=2007-11-08|work=Historic Bridges of the United States|publisher=James Baughn]

Trivia

The Horton Mill Covered Bridge is featured on the seal of the Blount-Oneonta Chamber of Commerce.

References

* Dale J. Travis Covered Bridges. [http://www.dalejtravis.com/bridge/alabama/htm/0100507.htm Horton Mill CB: Credits] . Retrieved Aug. 17, 2007.
* Bridges to the Past: Alabama's Covered Bridges. [http://www.alabamatv.org/bridges/photos.htm Horton Mill CB: Credits] . Retrieved Aug. 17, 2007.
* Alabama Bureau of Tourism & Travel. [http://www.800alabama.com/ Horton Mill CB: Credits] . Retrieved Aug. 17, 2007.
* "The Decatur Daily". [http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/061101/covered.shtml Horton Mill CB: Credits] . Retrieved Aug. 17, 2007.
* Alabamiana: A Guide to Alabama. [http://www.al.com/alabamiana/index.ssf?bridges.html Horton Mill CB: Credits] . Retrieved Aug. 17, 2007.
* BhamWiki. [http://www.bhamwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Horton_Mill_Bridge Horton Mill CB: Credits] . Retrieved Aug. 17, 2007.
* Blount-Oneonta Chamber of Commerce. [http://www.blountoneontachamber.org/ Horton Mill CB: Credits] . Retrieved Aug. 17, 2007.
* Southern Living: Tunnels in Time. [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3676/is_199710/ai_n8774851 Horton Mill CB: Credits] . Retrieved Sep. 24, 2007.
* "The Blount Countian" (October 3, 2007). Retrieved Nov. 28, 2007.
* Flickr. [http://flickr.com/photos/bdr/1848834387/ Horton Mill CB: Credits] . Retrieved Feb. 28, 2008.

ee also

*List of Alabama covered bridges

External links

* [http://www.alabamatv.org/bridges/photos.htm Bridges to the Past: Alabama's Covered Bridges]
* [http://www.dalejtravis.com/bridge/alabama/htm/0100507.htm Horton Mill Covered Bridge (Dale J. Travis)]