 |
What: Open -Spandrel
Arch Bridge over Lake Tillery (Pee Dee River)
Where: NC 24/27/73 at Stanly - Montgomery County Line Accessibility: Easy (Bridge's future status unknown) |
|
What: Open -Spandrel
Arch Bridge over Lake Tillery (Pee Dee River)
Where: NC 24/27/73 at Stanly - Montgomery County Line Accessibility: Easy (Bridge's future status unknown) |
| Every bridge
has a story. Some are as simple as, "It carries Highway XX over Random
Creek." Others have more elaborate tales. There are not many
bridges within the state of North Carolina that have a unique history to
it like the 1927 Swift Island Bridge over the Pee Dee River in the Southern
Piedmont. The narrow, over 75 year old, two lane bridge over the
Pee Dee/Lake tillery has recently been closed in preparation of its replacement
as NC 24/27 will be widened in the area. (1)
The bridge's origins began when a three span open-spandrel concrete arch bridge was built over the river in the early 1920's. The bridge opened to much fanfare on December 28, 1922. (2) This crossing would only be in existence for less than four years. In 1926, Carolina Power and Light began construction of a hydroelectric plant in Norwood. The dam built in conjunction with the plant would lead to the creation of Lake Tillery. The new lake would flood the three span bridge, and a new crossing, at a higher elevation, would need to be built. The State Highway Commission and CP&L came to an agreement that the electric company would pay for the new bridge and the construction would be overseen by the state. (3) The old bridge's demolition would become to some a comedy of errors and to others valuable information on bridge construction and demolition. In what would become known as the "Battle of Swift Island Bridge" (4), the US Army would try many different techniques to demolish it. First, the bridge was overloaded with weight, then the Army Air Force tried to bomb the bridge in test runs, it was fired on by artillery squads. (4) Finally, the bridge would see its demise after 2,000 lbs. of explosives were placed at the bases of the structure. (3) The new bridge would open in 1927; the next year the lake was formed. A more modern parallel span would be built down river and open in the 1970s. The 1927 bridge would now carry two lanes of westbound traffic over the lake. Early in 2005, the bridge would be closed temporarily causing the second span to carry traffic in both directions. Currently, the bridge is open but only to one lane westbound. (5) The bridge was first approved to be replaced in March of 2003 (6) and construction of the new bridge will begin in 2008 along with projects to widen NC 24/27 to four lanes in Montgomery county. (1) The two crossings are named the James B. Garrison bridge in honor of former North Carolina State Senator, James B. Garrison. (7) all photos on this page taken by Chris Curley; february 2005, |
 A
view of the arch spans of the Swift Island Bridge. |
 A
closer look at one of the six arches. |
 A
long view of the concrete rail and arches. |
 The
concrete bridge deck and rail. |
 Straight
on shot of the former roadway. |
 While
its later years allowed passing, the bridge was too narrow for safe passing. |
 Looking
at the bridge from Stanly County. |
 The
Montgomery County approach. |
 |
 A
look at both bridges from Stanly County. |
 A
look from the bridge up the hill on the Stanly County side. |
 Builders
plate for the 1927 bridge. |
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Page Created: April 15, 2005
(C) 2005-06 William Lawson |