Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge

Infobox Bridge
bridge_name=Alamuchee-Bellamy CB

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caption=The Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge on the campus of the University of West Alabama in Livingston, Alabama.
official_name=
carries=pedestrian traffic
crosses=Duck Pond (UWA)
locale=Livingston, Alabama
maint=Sumter County Historical Society
id=01-60-01 (WGCB)
design=Town Lattice truss
mainspan=
length=88 ft (27 m)
width=
height=
load=
clearance=
below=
traffic=
begin=
complete=1861
open=
closed=
toll=
map_cue=
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coordinates= coord|32|35|37.42|N|88|11|8.97|W|region:US_type:landmark|display=title,inline
lat=
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The Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge is a county owned wooden covered bridge that spans the northeast corner of Duck Pond in Sumter County, Alabama, United States. It is located on the campus of the University of West Alabama behind Reed Hall, which is off Student Union Drive in the city of Livingston. Coordinates are coor dms|32|35|37.42|N|88|11|8.97|W|city (32.593728, -88.185825).

Built in 1861, the 88-foot (27-meter) bridge is a Town Lattice truss construction over a single span. Its WGCB number is 01-60-01. The Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge is one of five existing covered bridges in Alabama built before 1950 not listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of the oldest covered bridges still existing in Alabama. The bridge is maintained by the Sumter County Historical Society.

History

The Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge was originally designed and constructed over the Sucarnoochee River by Confederate Army Captain William Alexander Campbell Jones on the main state road leading from Livingston to York, now U.S. Route 11 just south of Livingston. It was built using hand-hewn yellow pine timbers joined together with large wooden pegs. During the American Civil War, the bridge was used as an access route to Mississippi by Confederate forces led by General Nathan Bedford Forrest.

A concrete bridge replaced the Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge in 1924, and the bridge was moved 5 miles (8 kilometers) south to the old Bellamy-Livingston Road (now Bennett 13 Road (CR 13)) over Alamuchee Creek (Coordinates coor dms|32|31|19.75|N|88|11|12.22|W|city (32.522153, -88.186728))...soon given the name "Alamuchee Covered Bridge." The bridge remained in service to motor traffic until 1958 when it was once again replaced by a concrete bridge. During that time, a logging truck being used to haul timbers from the construction site accidentally crashed into the bottom of the covered bridge. As a result, the Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge was permanently closed and left unmaintained.

In 1971, the Sumter County Historical Society came to the rescue and fully restored the damaged bridge. It was moved from Alamuchee Creek back into Livingston and placed over Duck Pond at the University of West Alabama. The Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge now serves as a campus access route for college students and also attracts visitors from various places to a longstanding piece of history in Sumter County. It has been made wheelchair accessible, and also has lights inside the bridge for nighttime illumination.

Trivia

Stephen S. Renfroe, known as "Alabama's Outlaw Sheriff," was hanged either from or near the Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge outside Livingston by locals in 1886. During that time, the bridge was over the Sucarnoochee River and not Alamuchee Creek as many sources state.

References

* Dale J. Travis Covered Bridges. [http://www.dalejtravis.com/bridge/alabama/htm/0106001.htm Alamuchee-Bellamy CB: Credits] . Retrieved Aug. 23, 2007.
* Bridges to the Past: Alabama's Covered Bridges. [http://www.alabamatv.org/bridges/photos.htm Alamuchee-Bellamy CB: Credits] . Retrieved Aug. 23, 2007.
* Alabama Bureau of Tourism & Travel. [http://www.800alabama.com/ Alamuchee-Bellamy CB: Credits] . Retrieved Aug. 23, 2007.
* "The Decatur Daily". [http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/061101/covered.shtml Alamuchee-Bellamy CB: Credits] . Retrieved Aug. 23, 2007.
* Alabamiana: A Guide to Alabama. [http://www.al.com/alabamiana/index.ssf?bridges.html Alamuchee-Bellamy CB: Credits] . Retrieved Aug. 23, 2007.
* Brad Campbell's Pages of Genealogy & History (Stephen S. Renfroe). [http://www.angelfire.com/al2/bcampbell/renfroe.html Alamuchee-Bellamy CB: Credits] . Retrieved Aug. 23, 2007.
* Brad Campbell's Pages of Genealogy & History (Alamuchee-Bellamy Bridge). [http://www.angelfire.com/al2/bcampbell/bridge.html Alamuchee-Bellamy CB: Credits] . Retrieved Aug. 23, 2007.
* Ohio Barns: Covered Bridges. [http://www.ohiobarns.com/covbri/al/01-60-01.html Alamuchee-Bellamy CB: Credits] . Retrieved Aug. 23, 2007.
* University of West Alabama. [http://tour.uwa.edu/duckpond.asp Alamuchee-Bellamy CB: Credits] . Retrieved Aug. 23, 2007.

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/0106001.htm Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge (Dale J. Travis)]