Sellars Mill Road Bridge

This, I'm certain, is the only truss bridge over the Haw River, a scenic though polluted waterway in central North Carolina. It is a private bridge, connecting a long, thin island to the mainland near Burlington, in Alamance County. Due to its extremely dilapidated condition, I doubt the current owners risk crossing it with their vehicles. The bridge consists of two reused truss spans from different sources, as well as a few deck girder approach spans. The main span over the river is a Warren pony truss with riveted connections, probably dating from the 1920s or 30s. With its gusset plates placed on the outside of the top chord, my guess would be that it is a Penn Bridge Company span (the State Line Road Bridge in Pennsylvania is a similar Warren pony truss). Lattice railings are present on the span, which is surprising considering that it has been relocated. The span on the island is a four-panel, riveted Pratt pony truss. It probably originated from a prolific regional builder such as the Roanoke Bridge and Iron Company, which made frequent use of minimalist pipe railings like those that remain on the span. The truss spans sit atop piers comprised of oil barrels welded together and filled with concrete. A heavy-duty steel grid deck runs the entire length of the bridge, giving you an idea of how much was spent to erect a bridge here. Through uncommon circumstances, these two historic spans were spared the fate of the vast majority of North Carolina's truss bridges. The bridge is located at these coordinates: 36° 6'33.78"N, 79°23'31.48"W.