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GDOT, Keeping Georgia on the Move Georgia Department of Transportation

History of Covered Bridges

Auchumpkee Creek Bridge

In the early days of this country, ferries and barges were adequate for the transportation of people and goods across streams and rivers. As the population grew and trade increased, however, the need to transport larger numbers of people and heavier goods across waterways mandated the development of bridges. The earliest bridges were simply logs stretched across supporting timbers; the span of the bridge was limited to the length of the supporting timber, or stringer. As the industry of bridge building evolved, builders learned to create longer spans using trusses, arches, and joined stringers. Like many structures of the late 18th century, these bridges were made almost entirely of wood. It soon became apparent that the joints of a wooden truss bridge would deteriorate rapidly when exposed to the elements. The covered bridge was invented in response to the need to protect the wood trusses and joints.

The first partially covered bridge was built over the Mohawk River in New York in 1808; it was covered completely in 1825 and 1830.(American Barns and Covered Bridges, Sloan: 1954) The practice of building wooden covered bridges spread quickly throughout the country, and thousands were built throughout the 19th century.

One of the most prominent builders of covered bridges in Georgia was Horace King (1807-1887), a slave from South Carolina who learned the craft of bridge building from his owner, John Godwin. King and Godwin built bridges in South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama from 1830 until 1846, when, in the midst of financial difficulties, Godwin granted King his freedom from slavery. King continued to work with Godwin until Godwin's death in 1859. Three of King's sons joined him in the construction business; the Kings maintained a business in covered bridge construction until the late 19th century. The family was well-respected throughout the region for the quality of their bridges; several of Georgia's remaining covered bridges were built by Horace King or his sons. (Covered Bridges in Georgia, Bogle:1983).

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Updated September 17, 2002. 18:11

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