We take you on a photo tour of 14 beautiful covered bridges in Alabama and tell the history behind them.
The Bridges of Madison County made something as simple as an architectural structure purely fascinating and even romantic. Yes, the best-selling novel by Robert James Waller and movie, starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep, added a romance to covered bridges.
First built in the 1790s, these structures did not become popular until after 1814. At one time, Kentucky alone boasted more than 400 of them. Today, however, they are few and far between. Some were destroyed during the Civil War, others just wasted away with the passage of time. They’ve been moved, burned down and rebuilt. So, when you do find one, it feels somewhat magical.
“The sound you hear while driving across a covered bridge makes you think you won't make it across. And on some, you might not,” says Gary Clark, former Southern Living Magazine travel photographer and photographer of the United States Postal Service 2014 Star-Spangled Banner Forever stamp. “This is how many bridges used to be built, particularly in the South. They are links to history, though, and photographically fun, since they are all different.”
Gary took to the back roads of Alabama, braving a few storms and arriving before sunrise and at sunset. He has captured, in photograph, the best of these covered bridges that Alabama has to offer, showing what true art lies in these architectural structures.
Many of them are located on private property, others are difficult to reach. But our extensive list offers a variety, even the somewhat hidden ones that Gary uncovered in his travels. Plan to visit these structures on your own, or if you can’t, enjoy what Gary has photographed for us.
1) Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge
Learn about the Alamuchee-Bellamy Covered Bridge and see more photos of it here.
2) Clarkson-Legg Covered Bridge
Learn more about the Clarkson-Legg Covered Bridge and see additional photos of it here.
3) Coldwater Covered Bridge
Learn more about Coldwater Covered Bridge and see more photos of it here.
4) Easley Covered Bridge, a.k.a. Rosa Covered Bridge
Learn about Easley Covered Bridge and see more photos of it here.
5) Gilliland's-Reese Covered Bridge
Learn about Gilliland Covered Bridge and see more images of it here.
6) Horton Mill Covered Bridge
Read the story behind Horton Mill Bridge and see more images of it here.
7) Kymulga Mill & Covered Bridge
Learn more about Kymulga Mill Covered Bridge and see more pics of it here.
8) Old Union Crossing Covered Bridge
Learn more about the Old Union Crossing Covered Bridge and see more images of it here.
9) Salem Shotwell Covered Bridge
Read about the Salem Shotwell Bridge and see more photos here.
10) Swann Covered Bridge
Read about the longest bridge in Alabama and see more photos of Swann Covered Bridge here.
11) Waldo Covered Bridge (a.k.a. Riddle Mill Covered Bridge)
Read more about this bridge on private property and see more Waldo Covered Bridge photos here.
12) Bob Saunders Family Covered Bridge
See another one of our photos of Saunders Covered Bridge and read about its origin here.
13) Horace King Memorial Covered Bridge
See more of our photos of Horace King Memorial Covered Bridge and find out who it's named for here.
14) Cambron Covered Bridge
The locations of the covered bridges in Alabama are marked on the official Alabama State Highway map and directions to each bridge are given. These maps are available at no cost by calling: 1-800-ALABAMA (1-800-252-2262).
All photography by Gary Clark, a former Southern Living Magazine travel photographer and photographer of the United States Postal Service 2014 Star-Spangled Banner Forever stamp. See more of Gary's work and contact him at www.thegaryclark.com.
