The Bridges of Lewis County

[Old Timer]

I spent some time this weekend driving some roads I hadn't been on in at least 40 years. They were places that were familiar to me as a child but I hadn't been back there for sometime. I was surprised to find a number of swinging bridges still in use along a couple of creeks that are now very low due to a sever drought in our area but can sometimes turn into raging torrents. Hope you enjoy this little tour of the swinging bridges of Lewis County.

[Dylan8i]

man makes me feel like i'm back in breatherit county (where i do my field work) .... numerous of those bridges crossing troublesome creek. its amazing how in shables some of them are, yet still look in use.

[Frog]

Been on a few of those and they didn't bother me but freaked out some others.
Looks like they must have something going for them to have so many in an area. Probably easier to replace.

[Old Timer]

Here are a couple of more angles of the bridges and a little bonus. I didn't know if this covered bridge was still standing or not. It's in bad shape but still spans the creek as it has for the past 100 years or so.

[Greg McCary]

Those are a rare site in Georgia. I would think the last two pictures would look great after a snow.

[Old Timer]

Thanks for the looks and the comments guys. These bridges were everywhere back when I was a kid, but have slowly disappeared over the years. I was surprised to find so many in area.

[Old Timer]

man makes me feel like i'm back in breatherit county (where i do my field work) .... numerous of those bridges crossing troublesome creek. its amazing how in shables some of them are, yet still look in use.

You are in the right part of the state for creeks that can come up in a hurry and leave people stranded unless they have a reliable escape bridge.

[Dylan8i]

You are in the right part of the state for creeks that can come up in a hurry and leave people stranded unless they have a reliable escape bridge.

yeah it has happened to me while i was down there... woke up to do work early in the morning, and the bridge from our cabin was flooded over (about 10 feet above normal creek level) and had to wait a few hours for it to go down...... lets just say i didn't ford any of the streams that day.


i have been interested in tehse bridges since i first saw them the first time i was down there, but have never had time to stop. You captured them perfectly though.

[Liz]

Larry,
These are interesting shots - especially nice because they include a story. I love going back to old neighborhoods. I went back to my grandmother's house in Jackson Heights NY where my mother and I lived until my father returned from the Army. I was so disappointed and disheartened. Most of the houses on the block were in very good condition albeit quite old. Only a couple weren't well kept - and one was my grandmother's house. I asked a neighbor (didn't know them) and they told me an older lady lived there and went to a nursing home, and her son has not done anything to the property. It sounded like it was quite a while ago. I really wanted to go into the house. Your shots reminded me that it's been quite a few years since then - maybe it's time to go back.

My favorites of your photos here are No.1 on the first set - and yep - No.1 on the 2nd. Both are great - different perspective and angle.

Thanks for posting the photos with the story - your posts are always interesting. You're a good photo journalist/historian. :-)

Maria

[Old Timer]

My favorites of your photos here are No.1 on the first set - and yep - No.1 on the 2nd. Both are great - different perspective and angle.

Thanks for posting the photos with the story - your posts are always interesting. You're a good photo journalist/historian. :-)

Maria

I'm glad you like these Liz. That first one has a side story with it as well. As I was taking pictures the lady who lived in the house on the other side of the bridge came out to go to her mail box out by the road. I explained to her that I was interested in her bridge and was just getting a few pictures because it reminded me of my child hood. I introduced myself and gave her a brief bio of when I lived in the county over 45 years ago. She recognized my last name and went on to tell me that my father had taught her sister in the 7th grade all those many years ago. Just a chance meeting but one that brought back a lot of memories for both of us. Here is another shot of that bridge and the house on the other side of the creek.

[freygr]

I like the photos. Most of the my kid places around here have been paved over.

[Old Timer]

I like the photos. Most of the my kid places around here have been paved over.

Thanks for the look and the comment. I am grateful that I live in a rural are were that doesn't happen as much. Sure places get torn down and new ones built but you still recognize the land and the area around it. These two creeks that I traveled last weekend had new homes built on them but essentially they were still the same that they were when I was a kid. I could still pick out places that I remembered and put names to families that had lived there. Life in much of rural America is much the same. The big difference I think is the number of TV dishes that you see in areas that when I was a kid couldn't have hoped to even pull in one or two channels. One thing is the same snail mail still rules.

[brhitch]

Love this set Larry. Especially like the ones looking across the bridges and the one with the low angle looking across. They have a nice feel to them. Not been too long since I've been down through that area.

[Old Timer]

Thanks Brian. It had been 40 years since I had been there. It won't take me that long to get back.

[WesternGuy]

Old Timer, great images. These swinging bridges are not something we see here on the Western Prairies - thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

WesternGuy

[Old Timer]

Old Timer, great images. These swinging bridges are not something we see here on the Western Prairies - thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

WesternGuy

Thanks, they are not that common here anymore. Seems as if technology is catching up with us and people have bridges they can actually drive across.