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
A covered bridge is a timber-truss bridge with a roof, decking, and siding, which in most covered bridges create an almost complete enclosure. The purpose of the covering is to protect the wooden structural members from the weather. Uncovered woo ...
that spans Dub Branch of the
Calvert Prong of the Little Warrior River in
Blount County, Alabama
Blount County is a county located in the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 59,134. Its county seat is Oneonta.
Blount County is a moist county. In the November 6, 2012 elections, a countywide ballot initiativ ...
,
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. It is located on Easley Bridge Road off
U.S. Route 231
U.S. Route 231 (US 231) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway System, U.S highway that is a parallel route of U.S. Route 31, US 31. It runs for from St. John, Indiana, St. John, Indiana, at U.S. Route 41 in Indiana, US&nbs ...
, just south of the town of
Rosa
Rosa or De Rosa may refer to:
Plants and animals
* ''Rosa'' (plant), the genus of roses
* Rosa (sea otter), a sea otter that has become popular on the internet
* Rosa (cow), a Spanish-born cow
People
* Rosa (given name)
* Rosa (surname)
* San ...
, about northwest of
Oneonta. Coordinates are (33.971144, -86.518719).
Built in 1927, the bridge is a
town lattice truss construction over a single span. Its
WGCB number is 01-05-12. The Easley Covered Bridge was listed on the
Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage
The Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage (ARLH), commonly referred to as the Alabama Register, is an official listing of buildings, sites, structures, objects, and districts deemed worthy of preservation in the U.S. state of Alabama. These pr ...
on March 3, 1976. It was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
on August 20, 1981. It is currently the oldest and shortest of three historic covered bridges still existing in Blount County. The bridge which had been closed in 2009 has now been restored and reopened to motor vehicle traffic on October 22, 2012. It is accessible from both sides of Easley Bridge Road. It is maintained by the Blount County Commission and the
Alabama Department of Transportation
The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is the government agency responsible for transportation infrastructure in Alabama. The Department is organized into five geographic regions, with a Central Office located in Montgomery, Alabama, ...
.
History
The Easley Covered Bridge was built by a crew led by foreman Forrest Tidwell and his nephew Zelma C. Tidwell in 1927 over Dub Branch. Other than occasional repair work, the bridge had been in continuous use since it was constructed.
After a routine inspection, the Easley Covered Bridge was closed in 2009 due to unsafe conditions along with nearby
Swann Covered Bridge
The Swann Covered Bridge, also called the Joy Covered Bridge or Swann-Joy Covered Bridge, is a county-owned, wood-and-metal combination style covered bridge that spans the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River in Blount County, Alabama, United ...
. The
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 crossing (Horton Mill Road) to Ebell Road and Cov ...
was already closed as a result of vandalism which occurred in 2007. Restoration of all three bridges began in late 2011. Money for these projects primarily came from the federal
National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation Program as well as transportation enhancement funds. The $469,110 construction contract was awarded to Bob Smith Construction of
Trussville, Alabama
Trussville is a city in Jefferson and St. Clair counties in the State of Alabama. It is a suburb of Birmingham and part of the Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its population at the 2020 census was
26,123.
Geography
Trus ...
. The Easley Covered Bridge would be the second of the three to be restored. Wooden structural pieces were repaired or replaced as needed and new tin roofs were put on all three bridges in order to keep the weather off vital supporting timbers. Total restoration costs for the covered bridges was approximately $540,000. The difference was covered by county expenditures.
Following necessary repairs and upgrades, the Easley Covered Bridge was reopened to motor vehicle traffic on October 22, 2012.
In late 2015, cameras were installed at the three remaining covered bridges in Blount County to help deter vandalism after
graffiti
Graffiti (singular ''graffiti'', or ''graffito'' only in graffiti archeology) is writing or drawings made on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from simple written "monikers" to elabor ...
was found on the Easley Covered Bridge a year earlier.
[ABC Channel 33/40, ''Cameras installed at 3 Blount County covered bridges'' by Alisa Long, October 5, 2015](_blank)
Retrieved Jan. 30, 2016. It has since been cleaned and re-painted.
Dimensions
Main Span Length:
Total Span Length:
Deck Width:
Vertical Clearance:
''Above measurements are approximate and unofficial. Total span length is not always the same as total bridge length.''
See also
*
List of Alabama covered bridges
References
* Dale J. Travis Covered Bridges
Easley CB: Credits Retrieved Aug. 20, 2007 and Dec. 16, 2009.
* Bridges to the Past: Alabama's Covered Bridges
Retrieved Aug. 20, 2007.
* Alabama Bureau of Tourism & Travel
Easley CB: Credits Retrieved Aug. 20, 2007.
* ''The Decatur Daily''
Easley CB: Credits Retrieved Aug. 20, 2007.
* Alabamiana: A Guide to Alabama
Retrieved Aug. 20, 2007.
* American Profile.com
Retrieved Aug. 20, 2007.
* Southern Living: Tunnels in Time
Easley CB: Credits Retrieved Sep. 24, 2007.
* Alabama Power News Center
Easley CB: Credits Retrieved May 30, 2013.
* AL.com via ''The Birmingham News''
Retrieved May 30, 2013.
* Ancestry.com SSDI
Horton Mill CB: Credits Retrieved May 8, 2014.
External links
Bridges to the Past: Alabama's Covered Bridges
{{NRHP in Blount County, Alabama
Bridges completed in 1927
National Register of Historic Places in Blount County, Alabama
Covered bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Alabama
Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage
Wooden bridges in Alabama
Transportation buildings and structures in Blount County, Alabama
Tourist attractions in Blount County, Alabama
Pedestrian bridges in Alabama
Former road bridges in the United States
Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Alabama
Lattice truss bridges in the United States