The Harrisburg Covered Bridge across the Little Pigeon River in Sevier County, Tennessee is a historical landmark that has been standing since the early 19th century.
Early history.
Before the Harrisburg Bridge was built in 1875, the McNutts Bridge across the Little Pigeon River, which was washed away during a flood, existed in the same place. To rebuild the bridge, the local population contributed to the financing, or provided them with construction materials, or worked as an assistant in building the project, as usual at the time. The voluntary cash donations totaled $50, with the county's $25 contribution. This old-fashioned bridge has remained almost unchanged since then.
In the late years of the 19th century, the population grew around Harrisburg, and life in the area flourished due to the many local mills and blacksmith workshops. A new bypass was built around Harrisburg after 1915, and the community slowly disappeared as many people moved away.
Construction details.
The span of the bridge is 64 feet (19.5 m), the total length 88 feet (26.9 m), and the inner width is 10 feet (3.2 m). The building material of the walls consists partly of tinplate.
The 20th-century updates.
- 1952: The bridge was stabilized with the help of a concrete bridge pillar attached to the building framework.
- 1970s: The overall state of the bridge had deteriorated so much that it was thought to demolish it until the organization Daughters of the American Revolution raised the necessary financial resources to rehabilitate the bridge by donating revenue.The organization that made the request to include the bridge in the National Register of Historic Places. The bridge was added on June 10, 1975, when the bridge was 100 years old.
- 1983: The bridge was placed back into service but carried a weight limit of 3 tons.
- 2004: The Sevier County Highway Department, funded by a federal grant, increased the total weight limit to 15 tons.
Today.
The bridge is only lightly used and remains in service today. It is one of the 2 covered bridges in Sevier County - the other one is Emerts Cove bridge in Pittman Center.