History

The Swann Covered Bridge was built by a crew led by Zelmer C. Tidwell
and his uncle Forrest Tidwell over a scenic gorge of the Locust Fork on property owned by the Swann Farm. It was originally dubbed the 'Joy Covered Bridge', as the bridge connected Cleveland with the nearby community of Joy. The bridge was restored by the Blount County Commission in 1979. After the 385-foot Nectar Covered Bridge

Nectar Covered Bridge

The Nectar Covered Bridge was a county owned wood & metal combination style covered bridge which spanned the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River in Blount County, Alabama, United States. It was located on Nectar Bridge Road off State Route 160 just east of the town of Nectar, about 14 miles ...

 (also located in Blount County) burned down in 1993, the Swann Covered Bridge became the longest covered bridge existing in Alabama. It is one of 3 historic covered bridges remaining in Blount County.

The Blount County Commission is currently working to secure funds for structural analysis and conservation of its three remaining covered bridges. According to signs posted on the nearby Easley Covered Bridge

Easley Covered Bridge

The Easley Covered Bridge, also known as the Old Easley Covered Bridge or Rosa Covered Bridge, is a county-owned wood and metal combination style covered bridge that spans Dub Branch of the Calvert Prong of the Little Warrior River in Blount County, Alabama, United States. It is located on Easley...

 in 2009 after all three were closed (the Horton Mill Covered Bridge

Horton Mill Covered Bridge

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 to Ebell Road and Covered Bridge Circle off State Route 75 about 5 miles north of the city...

was closed in 2007 but reopened in late 2009) due to safety concerns, the Blount County Commission is being criticized for lack of maintenance to its covered bridges over recent years.

Dimensions

Main Span Length: 75.1 ft (22.9 m)

Total Span Length: 330.1 ft (100.6 m)

Deck Width: 16.1 ft (4.9 m)

Vertical Clearance: 13.0 ft (4.0 m)

Underclearance: 27.0 ft (8.2 m)

Above measurements are approximate and unofficial. Total span length is not always the same as total bridge length.

External links

• Bridges to the Past: Alabama's Covered Bridges, at www.alabamatv.org.
• Swann Covered Bridge (Dale J. Travis), at www.dalejtravis.com.
• BhamWiki, "Horton Mill Bridge", webpage: bhamwiki-Horton_Mill_Bridge. Retrieved 2009-01-04 (unsourced).