Salem Shotwell Covered Bridge - Opelika, AL
Posted by: 
xptwo
N 32° 39.556 W 085° 22.878
16S E 651799 N 3614671
On August 14, 2007, a restored Salem-Shotwell Covered Bridge was dedicated in its new location in Municipal Park in Opelika, Alabama. During the ceremony, this historic marker was unveiled.
Waymark Code: WMHJ16
Location: Alabama, United States
Date Posted: 07/14/2013
Views: 9
This historic bridge was originally located about ten miles away from its current location. The builder, Otto Puls, was looking for a way to shorten travel time between the communities of Salem and Shotwell in Lee County, Alabama. It remained in use for many years, with repairs being done as needed. It was finally closed to road traffic in 1994, when the bridge supports could no longer carry the load of vehicular traffic. The rest of the story can be seen in the text of the two-sided marker:
Salem Shotwell Covered Bridge
This is the last surviving covered bridge in Lee County. It was constructed about 1900 by Otto Puls over Oacoochee Creek in the Town's lattice truss design. Materials used in the 75 foot long bridge included longleaf heart pine, white oak pegs and cedar shakes. Maintained by the Lee County Commission and Lee County Historical Society, the bridge stood until June 2005 when it was damaged by a storm and collapsed into the creek. It was rescued by John Ross and a number of other volunteers from Lee County and placed in storage until it could be reassembled and relocated. Its original location was in the N1/2 of Section 26, Township 19N, Range 28E.
After its collapse, the bridge was given to the City of Opelika in February 2006 by the Lee County Commission for relocation in the Municipal Park over Rocky Brook Branch. The "Park the Bridge" project was sponsored by the Opelika Kiwanis Club working with the Opelika Parks and Recreation Board as a community project. The shortened bridge was reassembled by J. Marsh Enterprises, Inc. in 2007. Major sponsors included: Scott Bridge Company, Castone Corporation, Dudley Lumber Company and Thompson Carriers. Many other businesses and individuals contributed to the reconstruction project. The new location is in SE1/4 Section 6, Township 19N, Range 27E.
Erected by the
Historic Chattahoochee Commission,
Opelika Historic Preservation Society, Auburn Heritage Association,
and East Alabama Medical Center
2007
The bridge is located on Park Road, near the intersection with Rocky Brook Road. Parking is available on the road and in the park's parking areas.
Marker Name: Salem Shotwell Covered Bridge
Marker Type: Urban
Addtional Information::
"Originally built in 1900, the 43-foot (13-meter) bridge is a Town Lattice truss construction over a single span. Its WGCB number is 01-41-B, formerly 01-41-04. The Salem-Shotwell Covered Bridge is one of five existing covered bridges in Alabama built before 1950 not listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on January 25, 1977. It was destroyed by a fallen tree in 2005 at its original location near Salem, then rebuilt in 2007 at Opelika Municipal Park. The bridge is maintained by the Opelika Kiwanis Club and the City of Opelika." Source: Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem-Shotwell_Covered_Bridge.
Date Dedicated / Placed: August 14, 2007
Marker Number: None
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Visit Instructions:
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