Covered bridges are scattered all around North Alabama and remind us of the way things used to be. Blount County has the most in North Alabama, which has earned the county the "Covered Bridge Capital" title. There's a Covered Bridge Festival each October to honor and remember Blount County's covered bridges.

 

Here's a list of North Alabama's covered bridges that are still standing:

Easley Covered Bridge

"Built in 1927, the 95-foot bridge is a town lattice truss construction over a single span. The Easley Covered Bridge was listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on March 3, 1976. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places 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 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 Horton Mill Covered Bridge was already closed as a result of vandalism which occurred in 2007. Restoration of all three bridges began in late 2011. Following necessary repairs and upgrades, the Easley Covered Bridge was reopened to motor vehicle traffic on October 22, 2012." (source: Wikipedia)
(photo courtesy of Susan Johnston)

335 Easley Bridge Rd, Oneonta AL 35121

Covered Bridge Easley

Horton Mill Covered Bridge

"Built in 1934, the 220-foot bridge is a Town Lattice truss construction over two spans. The Horton Mill Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 29, 1970, the first covered bridge in the southeastern United States to be added. At 70 feet, it is the highest covered bridge above any U.S. waterway. It was reopened on March 11, 2013 after being closed in 2007 due to vandalism. The bridge is currently open to motor vehicle traffic. However, there is only one lane and the posted speed limit is 5 MPH." (source: Wikipedia) (photo by North Alabama Ambassador Robert Posey)

25 Covered Bridge Cir, Oneonta, AL 35121

horton mill covered bridge

Swann Covered Bridge

The Swann Covered Bridge, also called the Joy Covered Bridge or Swann-Joy Covered Bridge, is a county-owned, wood-&-metal combination style covered bridge that spans the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River in Blount County, Alabama, United States. It is located on Swann Bridge Road off State Route 79, just west of the town of Cleveland, about 10 miles northwest of Oneonta.

Built in 1933, the 324-foot bridge is a Town Lattice truss construction over three spans. The Swann Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 20, 1981. It is currently the longest existing historic covered bridge in Alabama and second longest in the state overall after the 334-foot Twin Creek Covered Bridge in Midway, Alabama which was built in 2000. (photo by North Alabama Ambassador Robert Posey)

1590 Swann Bridge Road, Cleveland, AL 35049

swann covered bridge

Clarkson Covered Bridge

"One of Cullman's most well known attractions and historically rich sites, Clarkson Covered Bridge, originally built in 1904, and was once used regularly by farmers and travelers to cross Crooked Creek, the weatherworn bridge is now closed to traffic, the centerpiece of a park built in period fashion to showcase the bridge and its historical significance. The bridge was torn in two, in 1921 by a huge storm. One piece was left intact, the other swept down stream and soon salvaged. One year later, the project to repair the bridge with the salvaged material was completed.

On June 25, 1974, Clarkson Covered Bridge was named to the National Register of Historic Places. Shortly thereafter, in 1975, the Cullman County Commission restored the site with the help of concerned citizens as part of the American Bicentennial Project, embellishing the grounds with hiking trails, a picnic area, and two period structures built to accent the historical nature of the bridge: a Dogtrot log cabin and a working grist mill. Located just off U.S. Highway 278 in Bethel." (source: www.cullmancountyparks.com/clarkson.html)
(photo by North Alabama Ambassador Lane Leopard)

1240 County Road 1043, Cullman, AL 35057

clarkson covered bridge

Cambron Covered Bridge

Cambron Covered Bridge is in the Green Mountain Nature Trail in Huntsville and is named after Joe E. Cambron, who was the Madison County Bridge Foreman from 1958-1974. The Nature Trail is recognized as a Treasure Forest by the Alabama Forestry Commission. It is also considered a Wildlife Sanctuary. (photo by North Alabama Ambassador Huntsville Adventurer- David Parham)

Cambron Covered Bridge

Old Union Covered Bridge

"The Old Union Covered Bridge is a privately owned wood & metal combination style covered bridge that spans the West Fork of the Little River in DeKalb County. It is located on an access road between Shady Grove Dude Ranch and Cloudmont Ski & Golf Resort on Lookout Mountain, which is off County Road 614 near the town of Mentone." (source: Wikipedia) (photo by North Alabama Ambassador Ethan Ford)

old union covered bridge

Gilliland Reese Covered Bridge

"The Gilliland Reese Covered Bridge was constructed in 1899 by a crew under the direction of Etowah County Commissioner Jesse Gilliland. It's a Town Lattice truss made of rough-hewn lumber and covered with weathered shingles, originally located over Little Wills Creek at Gilliland Plantation in the vicinity of present-day Bethany Sitz Gap Road near Reece City. The bridge provided a crossing over the creek, thus improving area transportation, and also was a favorite meeting place.

Eventually, the Gilliland-Reese Covered Bridge was replaced in the 1920s by the new Reeceville Road. In 1966, the bridge was donated to the City of Gadsden by the family of Judge H. Ross Gilliland as it was threatened by the construction of Interstate 59. No other structures of the Gilliland Plantation are known to remain. The bridge was fully restored and moved to Noccalula Falls Park in 1967. Most of the Town Lattice truss setup was removed during restoration, making the bridge more of a Stringer construction. Therefore, it is currently classified as a non-authentic covered bridge." (source: Wikipedia)

Gilliland Reese Covered Bridge – Gadsden, Etowah County