Lovejoy Road Bridge

Crossing of the West Fork Pigeon River

When this bridge was built, Benjamin Harrison was in the White House, Queen Victoria was still the reigning monarch of England, America was still on the gold standard, and there remained alive generals who had fought in the Civil War. America was an industrial nation, though the vast furnaces in which this bridge was forged are very far off from this peaceful river valley. Horses and wagons were all that crossed this bridge when it was erected. Trucks? Buses? Who could have know they would ever be a problem? And yet this bridge has managed to cross over into a third century, somehow in a state that is hostile to charming old bridges. Today this is one of the most historic, if not the most, bridges in the state. Asides from its age, the bridge also features rare Phoenix columns, a tube-like column comprised of four segments riveted together. It is also a wrought iron as opposed to a steel bridge, further adding to its significance.

Despite all of these distinctions, the bridge receives no more recognition than during its early years, when bridges like these were as common as concrete slabs are today. It has received no National Historic Register designation, nor any other notable historic recognition that I know of. Instead, it merely continues to serve the residents of Lovejoy Road faithfully, bearing their heavy cars as it did their wagons more than a century ago. At one point during my visit I witnessed a conversion van carrying a dozen farm workers, its rear suspension nearly all the way down, creep across the bridge. The engineers of yesteryear certainly designed this structure with a large safety margin.

This bridge is in fair condition, having received little maintenance over the years, it seems. It has retained a large portion of its silver paint, though many sections have rust on them. The deck has been paved over with asphalt and modern wooden railings have been added to the sides, painted silver in a half-hearted attempt to have them blend in with the trusses. One Phoenix column, a vertical member, has been substituted with an ugly modern pole, probably installed due to the original being damaged by a collision. These modifications hurt the bridge's historical integrity, but also distinguish it as a "working bridge" as opposed to a showpiece. It once had plaques atop each portal, but these were gone on my visit. Fortunately, some pictures of the plaques were posted on the Bridge Hunter website, thanks to contributor C. Hanchey (you can view them here). One states that the bridge was built by Dean & Westbrook Engineers of New York, while the other names the commissioners of Haywood County at the time, showing that this bridge was erected by the county as opposed to the state.

The configuration of this bridge is a standard Pratt truss with five panels. At 81 feet its span length is not exceptionally long, and lies within the range permissible for a pony truss as well. All connections between members are pinned, and unlike on a bridge with square top chords and front posts, the connections are exposed. This is due to the closed design of the Phoenix column. Diagonal members, as well as the outermost vertical members, are eyebars with teardrop-shaped openings. The exception to this is the middle diagonals, which feature turnbuckle heads at both connections (on most old Pratt bridges the turnbuckle is a single unit located in the middle of the member.) The bottom cord is comprised of sets of parallel eyebars, some of which have a noticeable bow. The front posts, top chord, lateral bracing, and the main verticals (except for the replacement steel pole) are all wrought iron Phoenix columns. One column notably had a Phoenix Iron Company stamp on it, though of course this provides no information since this sort of column was only manufactured by one company. The bridge rests atop concrete abutments and has a single steel stringer approach span on the western bank.

Mounted at the top of each of the front posts are the bridge's attractive little finials, which give the structure its Victorian flair. These are integrated into the bridge structure, which explains why they haven't been stolen over the course of twelve decades. The portal bracing also features a flower design. These little details add to the bridge's significance and are certainly a reason for it to be restored and preserved.

Update: as of 2016, this bridge has been bypassed and preserved as a pedestrian bridge.

Facts

• Year built: 1891
• Builder: Dean & Westbrook Engineers
• Route Carried: SR-1112
• Crosses: West Fork Pigeon River
• Location: Haywood County, NC
• Design: Five-panel, pin-connected Pratt truss with Phoenix columns
• Number of spans: 1
• Main span length: 81 ft.
• Inside width: 11.2 ft., one lane
• Average Daily Traffic: 100
• Sufficiency Rating: 18.5 out of 100
• National Bridge Inventory ID: 870079
• Coordinates: 35°27'48.93"N, 82°53'59.61"W

Pictures

• L-R: various oblique views of the bridge.

• L-R: east- and west-facing portal shots of the bridge, respectively.

• Left: the decorative portal bracing. Center: one of the bridge's four finials. Right: detail of a Phoenix column.

• Left: a top chord / front post connection. Center: a top chord connection. Right: a bottom chord connection with eyebar verticals.

• Left: a bottom chord / front post connection. Center: a bottom chord connection with the bridge's non-original vertical column. Right: a Phoenix Iron Company stamp.