Oakachoy Covered Bridge

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Oakachoy CB
Carries pedestrian traffic
Crosses Oakachoy Creek
Locale Nixburg, Alabama
Maintained by Coosa County Commission
ID number 01-19-01 (WGCB)
Design Queen-post truss
Total length 56 ft (17 m)
Completion date 1916
Destruction date June 2, 2001 by fire
Coordinates 32°50′56.58″N 86°02′48.31″W / 32.84905, -86.0467528

The Oakachoy Covered Bridge (sometimes spelled 'Okachoy'), also known as the Thomas Covered Bridge, was a county owned wooden covered bridge which spanned Oakachoy Creek in Coosa County, Alabama, United States. It was located in a remote area on the dirt portion of Newman Road off State Route 259 northeast of the community of Nixburg, about 6 miles (10 kilometers) southwest of Alexander City. Coordinates are 32°50′56.58″N, 86°02′48.31″W (32.84905, -86.046753).

Built in 1916, the 56-foot (17-meter) bridge was a modified Queen-post truss construction over a single span. Its WGCB number is 01-19-01. The Oakachoy Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 23, 2001, but removed a few days later after finding out the bridge had been destroyed. It was one of the shortest covered bridges built in Alabama. The Oakachoy Covered Bridge was burned down by vandals on June 2, 2001, ending the existence of the only remaining historic covered bridge in Coosa County. It was maintained by the Coosa County Commission.

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[edit] History

The Oakachoy Covered Bridge was built by Melton Harris of homemade timber at a cost of $400.00 for connecting two county seats, Rockford in Coosa County and Dadeville in Tallapoosa County. It is unknown when the bridge was closed to motor traffic in later years or when it was restored. Nearby are ruts which were forded in Oakachoy Creek by pioneer wagons over 150 years ago. All that remains of the Oakachoy Covered Bridge site are the stone foundations and a wooden post on the east side of the creek which shows obvious charring. Even though the bridge is gone, it is said the site is still haunted by a slave who was lynched and eventually hung there many years ago. A major downplay to this legend though is that slavery was abolished throughout the United States with the passing of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865 and the Oakachoy Covered Bridge was known to be the first and only bridge built at the site which wasn't until 1916...well after the end of the American Civil War.

[edit] References

  • Dale J. Travis Covered Bridges. Oakachoy CB: Credits. Retrieved Nov. 1, 2007.
  • Bridges to the Past: Alabama's Covered Bridges. Oakachoy CB: Credits. Retrieved Nov. 1, 2007.
  • Alabamiana: A Guide to Alabama. Oakachoy CB: Credits. Retrieved Nov. 1, 2007.
  • The Alexander City Outlook (June 6, 2001), page 1A. Retrieved Nov. 1, 2007.
  • Alabama Historical Commission (1969). Alabama's Covered Bridges. Retrieved Nov. 1, 2007.
  • Alabama Department of Archives and History. Oakachoy CB: Credits. Retrieved Nov. 1, 2007.
  • National Register of Historic Places Listings (October 5, 2001). Oakachoy CB: Credits. Retrieved Nov. 1, 2007.
  • StrangeUSA.com. Oakachoy CB: Credits. Retrieved Nov. 2, 2007.
  • TheFederalRegister.com. Oakachoy CB: Credits. Retrieved Nov. 2, 2007.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links