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Documenting North America's past & present covered bridges

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Hiwassee River Railroad, Bradley County

If you find errors in the data please contact Bill Caswell.

If you would like to provide information on covered bridges that no longer exist from your state, or adopt a state to work on, we would certainly welcome your assistance. Please contact Trish Kane for more information.

Inventory Number: TN/42-06-01x / TN-54-01x
County: Bradley County / McMinn County
Township: Charlestown - Calhoun
Town/Village:
Bridge Name: Hiwassee River Railroad
Crosses: Hiwassee River
Truss type:
Spans:
Length:
Roadway Width:
Built:
Builder:
When Lost: 08 Nov 1861
Cause: Burned
Latitude: N35 17.32
Longitude: W084 45.17
See a map of the area
Topographic map of the area
Directions: Between Calhoun and Charleston.

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Comments:
"The bridge was a splendid piece of architecture, several hundred feet long, boarded up the sides, covered and pitched upon the top, and very dry. The igniting flame seized the turpentine, flashed to the pitch, seemed to run all over the top like electricity, and before we were out of sight looked like the whole current of water could not be made to quench the flame." Alfred M. Cate about burning of the Hiwassee bridge as quoted in the Knoxville News Sentinel November 5, 2011.

Source:
Knoxville News Sentinel, November 5, 2011