Rooster Bridge - Demopolis, Alabama
N 32° 27.156 W 088° 00.378
16S E 405417 N 3591050
Rooster Bridge was partially financed by a public auction of roosters donated by famous personalities of the day. Opened in 1925, the bridge spanned the Tombigbee River near Demopolis.
Waymark Code: WM4VQR
Location: Alabama, United States
Date Posted: 10/02/2008
Views: 40
As the result of a sale of some 5,000 roosters on August 4-5, 1919, a bridge is to be built across the Tombigbee river at Demopolis, Alabama. Thus another obstacle on the Dixie Overland highway is to be removed. The bridge is to cost about $175,000. The rooster sale netted about $250,000 [approximately $50 each]. The additional funds will be utilized to improve the road and the approaches to the bridge in Marengo and Sumter counties. The work will be carried on under the direction of the State Highway Department of Alabama.
Four of these birds were donated by President Wilson, Lloyd George of England, and Premiers Clemenceau of France and Orlando of Italy. The idea of the rooster sale came from F. L. Derby, a stockman of Alabama.
The "Rooster Bridge," as it was known, served traffic on the Dixie Overland Highway and U.S. 80 until 1980, when it was demolished and replaced by a bridge on new location. A second parallel bridge was built at the new location.
A 1971 resolution passed by the Alabama Legislature decreed that any bridge or bridges that cross the Tombigbee River at that point shall bear the name Rooster Bridge
Marker Name: The Rooster Bridge
Marker Type: Rural Roadside
Addtional Information::
Placed by the Alabama Historical Commission
Date Dedicated / Placed: Not Listed
Marker Number: Not Listed
|
Visit Instructions:
Please post a photo of you OR your GPS at the marker location. Also if you know of any additional links not already mentioned about this bit of Alabama history please include that in your log.