Swinging Bridge At Rush Creek

In times past, swinging bridges were quite common in many areas of the country including rural southwestern Virginia where I grew up. Many families that lived across a river from the main road simply couldn't afford to build a bridge to drive their automobile across (if they were lucky enough to own one) so they built swinging bridges that allowed them to walk across the river to get home.

As bridges go, swinging bridges were relatively inexpensive to build. A set of steel cables were stretched across the river and planks were attached to them. Since their structures weren't rigid they tended to swing and sway as you walked across them - hence the name swinging bridges.

Functional swinging bridges are very rare these days because most homes are now served by a state-maintained road, complete with steel or concrete bridges where needed - and few people now have to walk everywhere they go.

The swinging bridge featured in today's picture crosses the south fork of the Holston river near the place where Rush Creek flows into it. It's one of the last of its kind in our region, and it is in such poor shape that it can no longer be used. It was probably built at least a century ago because a lady who is around 80 years of age told me how she used to walk across it on her way to and from school as a young child.

The people who live along Rush Creek really need a modern bridge built near the swinging bridge. As it is now they have to drive many miles out of their way to get out to the main road while a small bridge would let them drive just a short distance to get to the same point. Maybe some day a bit of their tax money will be used to build them a bridge. Until then, I guess that old dilapidated swinging bridge will serve as a reminder of times past and a symbol of what's yet to come - maybe some day.

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