1864 Military Bridge - Chattanooga TN
Posted by: 
Don.Morfe
N 35° 03.678 W 085° 18.591
16S E 654121 N 3881147
The first bridge crossing of the Tennessee River at Chattanooga was erected in 1864 under the order of Montgomery Meigs. This clearing highlights the alignment where the wooden bridge crossed the southern portions of Renaissance Park.
Waymark Code: WM139EV
Location: Tennessee, United States
Date Posted: 10/19/2020
Views: 1
1864 Military Bridge-Renaissance Park-he first bridge crossing of the Tennessee River at Chattanooga was erected in 1864 under the order of Montgomery Meigs, Quartermaster General of the Union armies. This clearing highlights the alignment where the wooden bridge, with its trestled northern approach, crossed the southern portions of Renaissance Park.
The bridge was constructed out of green timber, cut and sawed from trees from the hills where Hill City (North Chattanooga) now stands and the adjacent hills. Work in the river was facilitated by log rafts and pontoon floats. Bridge construction was staged from the north shore so that materials could be carried across completed portions of the span.
After the war, the military bridge was given to the city of Chattanooga, but it proved to be more of a liability than an asset. Marcus B. Long (1914) recalled that a herd of mules being driven across the span collapsed the draw span and resulted in many of the mules being killed in the fall to the river. The military bridge was swept away in the flood of April 1867.
LOCATION: Marker is in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in Hamilton County. Marker can be reached from River Street west of Tremont Street, on the left when traveling west. This historic marker is located along the north side of the river, in Renaissance Park, along a park walking trail that runs north-to-south. Marker is in this post office area: Chattanooga TN 37405, United States of America.
Visit Instructions:
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