The Lidy Walker Covered Bridge, formerly known as the Big Branch Covered Bridge, was a privately owned wood-&-metal combination style

covered bridge A covered bridge is a timber-truss bridge with a roof, decking, and siding, which in most covered bridges create an almost complete enclosure. The purpose of the covering is to protect the wooden structural members from the weather. Uncovered woo ...

which spanned the outlet to Lidy's Lake in

Cullman County, Alabama Cullman County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 87,866. Its county seat and largest city is Cullman. Its name is in honor of Colonel John G. Cullmann. Cu ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. It was located in the

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

community at a pasture near the lake off Cullman County Road 1616 near

U.S. Route 278 U.S. Route 278 (US 278) is a parallel route of US 78. It currently runs for from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, to Wickes, Arkansas at US 71/ US 59, passing through five states in the process. Landmarks along its route includ ...

, 6 miles (10 kilometers) east of the city of Cullman. Built in 1926, the 50-foot (15-meter) bridge was a

Town Lattice truss A lattice bridge is a form of truss bridge that uses many small, closely spaced diagonal elements forming a latticework, lattice. The lattice Truss Bridge was patented in 1820 by architect Ithiel Town. Originally a design to allow a substantial br ...

construction over a single span. Its WGCB number is 01-22-12, originally given 01-05-14 as the Big Branch Covered Bridge. The covered bridge was originally located in Blount County near Blountsville and moved to its current location in 1958. It collapsed in early August 2001, leaving the 270-foot (82-meter) Clarkson-Legg Covered Bridge the only remaining historic covered bridge in Cullman County.

History

The Lidy Walker Covered Bridge was first named the Big Branch Covered Bridge, built in 1926 over Mountain Grove Branch on what is now Blount County Road 47 near the intersection of Hamm Road west of Blountsville . This was about southeast of the current location. The bridge was open to motor vehicle traffic until 1958 when a new road bypassed it. Later that year, Berlin resident and local contractor Winford I. "Lidy" Walker purchased the Big Branch Covered Bridge for $50.00 and moved it to his farm at Lidy's Lake in Cullman County which later became a recreation area. The covered bridge soon was renamed 'Lidy Walker' after him. Visitors were able to view the historic bridge on his property until it collapsed in 2001. Walker died at his home in 2012 at age 89.

Notes

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References

* Alabama Mosaic
Lidy Walker CB: Credits
Retrieved May 19, 2013. * Cullman Times
Lidy Walker CB: Credits
Retrieved May 19, 2013. * Dale J. Travis Covered Bridges

Retrieved May 19, 2013. * Alabama Historical Commission
Lidy Walker CB: Credits
Retrieved Aug. 7, 2013. * National Center for Wood Transportation Structures
Lidy Walker CB: Credits
Retrieved Aug. 12, 2013.

External links

Covered bridges in Alabama Bridges completed in 1926 Transportation buildings and structures in Cullman County, Alabama Wooden bridges in Alabama Road bridges in Alabama Pedestrian bridges in Alabama Former road bridges in the United States Buildings and structures demolished in 2001 1926 establishments in Alabama Demolished buildings and structures in Alabama Lattice truss bridges in the United States

History

See also

Notes

References

External links