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Documenting North America's past & present covered bridges

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Watson Mill or Carlton, Madison 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: GA/10-97-01 / GA-109-02
County: Madison County / Oglethorpe County
Township:
Town/Village: Grove Creek
Bridge Name: Watson Mill or Carlton
Crosses: South Fork, Broad River
Truss type: Town
Spans: 3
Length: 229'
Roadway Width:
Built: c1885
Builder: Washington W. King
When Lost: standing
Cause:
Latitude: N34 01.612
Longitude: W083 04.490
See a map of the area
Topographic map of the area
Directions: 3.0 miles south of jct GA72 on GA22, then 3.3 miles left on Watson Mill Rd. In Watson Mill Bridge State Park. Southeast of Comer.

Watson Mill or Carlton Bridge, Grove Creek, Madison & Oglethorpe Counties, GA. Built c1885
Bill Caswell Photo, April 25, 2013

Watson Mill or Carlton Bridge, Grove Creek, Madison & Oglethorpe Counties, GA. Built c1885
Elna Johnson Collection

Watson Mill or Carlton Bridge, Grove Creek, Madison & Oglethorpe Counties, GA. Built c1885
Bob Sheldon Photo, July 30, 2011

Comments:
Parrish Mill or Watson Mill Bridge over Fifteenmile Creek was built around 1885 by Washington W. King, the son of Horace King, for just over $3,000.00. The bridge was named after Gabriel Watson's mill nearby. The dam and raceway wall below the bridge were constructed circa 1905, as part of a hydro-Electric Plant. It is the longest covered bridge remaining in Georgia. Most of the lattice work on the inside of the bridge is original. At the bottom of these massive timbers numbers can still be seen which were used to show the construction crew where each piece was to go when constructing the bridge. The bridge was renovated in 1970 when the park service took over its care. The roof and weather boarding were replaced during the renovation. The structure was restored in 1997 at a cost of $165,880.00. It rests on mortared natural stone abutments. Later repairs made with cut stones, and four piers, the south-southwest center pier of concrete construction and the other three piers are made from natural stone mortared together. The bridge is still open to motor traffic. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 5, 1991. In season, there is an admission fee.

Source:
National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges. World Guide to Covered Bridges, 2021, page 9

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