Swann Covered Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Swann CB |
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The Swann Covered Bridge near Cleveland, Alabama before its recent restoration.
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| Coordinates | 33°59′51.35″N 86°36′5.13″W / 33.9975972°N 86.6014250°W |
| Carries | single lane motor traffic |
| Crosses | Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River |
| Locale | Cleveland, Alabama |
| Maintained by | Blount County Commission |
| ID number | 01-05-05 (WGCB) |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Town Lattice truss |
| Total length | 324 ft (99 m) |
| Width | 9 ft (3 m) clearance |
| Load limit | 3 US tons (2.72 metric tons) |
| Clearance above | 8 ft (2 m) |
| History | |
| Construction end | 1933 |
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Swann Covered Bridge
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| Area | 1 acre (0.4 ha) |
| Architectural style | Three Span Town Truss |
| MPS | Blount County Covered Bridges TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 81000123 |
| Added to NRHP | August 20, 1981 |
The Swann Covered Bridge is a famous bridge in Blount County, Alabama, United States. People also call it the Joy Covered Bridge or Swann-Joy Covered Bridge. It is made of wood and metal and crosses the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River. You can find it on Swann Bridge Road, close to Cleveland, Alabama. It's about 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Oneonta, Alabama. The bridge's exact spot is 33°59′51.35″N 86°36′5.13″W / 33.9975972°N 86.6014250°W.
This bridge was built in 1933. It is 324 feet (99 meters) long and uses a special design called a Town Lattice truss. This design helps the bridge be very strong. The Swann Covered Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 20, 1981. It is the longest historic covered bridge still standing in Alabama.
The bridge was closed to cars in 2009 because it needed repairs. After being fixed, it opened again on October 22, 2012. It closed again briefly in 2018 after a car accident but reopened by the end of that year. The Blount County Commission and the Alabama Department of Transportation help take care of the bridge.
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Building the Swann Covered Bridge
The Swann Covered Bridge was built by a team led by Zelma C. Tidwell. They built it over a beautiful part of the Locust Fork river. The land where the bridge stands belonged to the Swann family. Because of this, it was named the Swann Covered Bridge.
At first, some people called it the 'Joy Covered Bridge'. This was because the bridge connected the town of Cleveland with a nearby area called Joy. In 1979, the Blount County Commission worked to fix up the bridge.
In 1993, another long covered bridge in Blount County, the 385-foot Nectar Covered Bridge, was destroyed. After that, the Swann Covered Bridge became the longest covered bridge in Alabama. It is one of only three historic covered bridges left in Blount County.
Keeping the Bridge Safe
In 2009, the Swann Covered Bridge was closed because it was not safe for cars. Another nearby bridge, the Easley Covered Bridge, also closed. The Horton Mill Covered Bridge was already closed from damage in 2007.
Work to fix all three bridges started in late 2011. Most of the money for these repairs came from a special government program. This program helps protect old covered bridges. A company called Bob Smith Construction won the job to fix the bridges.
The Swann Covered Bridge was the first of the three to be repaired. Workers fixed or replaced old wooden parts. They also put new tin roofs on all three bridges. These new roofs help protect the important wooden parts from bad weather. The total cost to fix the bridges was about $540,000.
After all the necessary repairs, the Swann Covered Bridge opened again for cars on October 22, 2012. You can find pictures of the repairs online.
In late 2015, cameras were put up at the three covered bridges in Blount County. This was done to help stop people from damaging them. Before this, someone had drawn on the Easley Covered Bridge. It has since been cleaned and repainted.
How Big is the Bridge?
Here are some measurements for the Swann Covered Bridge:
- Main Span Length: The longest single section is about 75.1 feet (22.9 meters).
- Total Span Length: The entire length of the bridge structure is about 330.1 feet (100.6 meters).
- Deck Width: The part where cars drive is about 16.1 feet (4.9 meters) wide.
- Vertical Clearance: The height inside the bridge is about 13.0 feet (4.0 meters).
- Underclearance: The space from the bottom of the bridge to the ground or water below is about 27.0 feet (8.2 meters).
These measurements are close but not official. The total span length is not always the same as the total bridge length.
Images for kids
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The Swann Covered Bridge near Cleveland, Alabama before its recent restoration.
See also
In Spanish: Puente cubierto de Swann para niños
