Bunker Hill Covered Bridge
The Catawba County Historical Association restored the Bunker Hill Bridge in the nineties. Today there is a small park surrounding the bridge.
Traveling along I-40 east of Hickory, North Carolina I spotted a couple of markers pointing the way to some historic sites. Murray’s Mill and Bunker Hill Covered Bridge just seemed too interesting for me to keep going on the Interstate. I opted for the detour, not at all knowing what to expect, or even how far each site was from the exit.
According to the Catawba County Historical Association website, bridges were covered to protect their timbers from the elements.
Both sites are in the same direction off I-40. I made it to the Bunker Hill Covered Bridge but due to time constraints I did not make it to the mill. I’ll have to check it out the next time I’m in that part of North Carolina.
Before the interstate, U.S. 70 was one of the main east-west routes across the country with nearly 500 miles of the highway running through North Carolina. Because of its prominence in American road trips, the highway was often called “The Broadway of America.” The Bunker Hill Covered Bridge sits in a small park located along the highway. The Historical Association of Catawba County operate the bridge park and the historic district around Murray’s Mill.
The Bunker Hill Covered Bridge is one of only two remaining historic covered bridges in the Tarheel State. It’s just a short walk from the parking lot to the historic structure which crosses Lyle Creek. Long before the interstate and Highway 70, the old Island Ford Road (a former Native American Trail) crossed through here. Built in 1895, the original span over the creek was open, but covered five years later.
The Island Ford Road that crosses the creek at the Bunker Hill Bridge has associations with the Civil War and the Revolutionary War.
The walk to the bridge is an easy one. During my visit I pretty much had the place all to myself, with a family coming up the trail just as I was leaving. The bridge is marred with graffiti, which is quite sad, given the historical significance and the sheer beauty of the bridge.
Displays at the entrance to the the bridge explain the engineering used in its construction. That way of building was developed by Herman Haupt, who helped reconstruct railroads and bridges following the Civil War. Today, the Bunker Hill Covered Bridge is the last remaining example of a wooden Haupt’s Truss anywhere which helped earn it the designation of being a National Civil Engineering Landmark.
Visiting this historic site makes for a great detour (or a side trip) when you are traveling to Hickory or Statesville. Both cities have vibrant downtowns with places to shop, eat or grab a craft beer. Both towns have a rich history and plenty of opportunities for fun outdoors.