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The Coldwater Covered Bridge is a locally owned wooden covered bridge that spans the inlet to Oxford Lake in Calhoun County, Alabama, United States. It is located at Oxford Lake Park off State Route 21 in the city of Oxford, about 4 miles (6 kilometers) south of Anniston. Coordinates are 33°36′26.97″N, 85°48′59.73″W (33.607492, -85.816592).
Built in 1850, the 60-foot (18-meter) bridge is a Multiple King-post truss construction over a single span. Its WGCB number is 01-08-01. The Coldwater Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 11, 1973. It is currently the oldest existing covered bridge in Alabama. The bridge is maintained by the City of Oxford.
[edit] History
The Coldwater Covered Bridge was built by a former slave in 1850 (although some sources say as early as 1839), originally located over Coldwater Creek on what is now Airport Road along the border of Calhoun and Talladega counties near the community of Coldwater (Coordinates 33°35′9.29″N, 85°54′46.8″W (33.585914, -85.913)). This was about 8 miles (13 kilometers) west of its current location. The bridge partially burned in 1920 but was able to be repaired and remain open to motor traffic. A concrete bridge eventually replaced the aging Coldwater Covered Bridge, which was soon left to temporarily survive the elements. In 1990, the bridge was fully restored and moved to Oxford Lake Park. It is now one of many visited tourist attractions within the Anniston area.
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