Wilcox County, Alabama's last covered bridge burned in 1948

Covered bridge between Hamburg and Snow Hill.

Some readers in the audience may remember that three years ago Wil Elrick and Kelly Kazek released a fascinating book called “Covered Bridges of Alabama.” Published by The History Press, “Covered Bridges of Alabama” is the most complete book ever published on the subject of covered bridges in the state and is a “must read” for Alabama history buffs. The book describes the state’s existing covered bridges and details covered bridges that have been lost to disaster, fire, war and the ravages of time.

The book also contains dozens of high-quality photos taken by the authors as well as historical photos from such sources as the Alabama Department of Archives and History. On the opening page of the chapter about “Alabama’s Lost Covered Bridges,” there is an old, black and white photo of an unnamed bridge in Wilcox County. The caption beneath the photo reads: A covered bridge in Wilcox County is shown in 1938. It is no longer standing.

Readers later informed me that this covered bridge was located over Pine Barren Creek on the road between Hamburg and Snow Hill. In August 2019, I made a field trip up to Hamburg and found that the old road from Hamburg to Snow Hill was impassable. The nice, smooth dirt road that I’d been traveling on petered out into a washed-out trail that was overgrown with tall grass, so I turned around and didn’t continue on to the old bridge site.

Readers later informed me that I had actually gotten pretty close to the old bridge site. If I’d gotten out of my truck and had walked down the hill a short distance, I would have eventually reached Pine Barren Creek. Not wanting to trespass or get bit by a rattlesnake, I just turned around and headed back to Camden.

Fast-forward to a week or so ago when I ran across an old news item that shed more light on the history and ultimate fate of this old Wilcox County covered bridge. In the Oct. 7, 1948 edition of The Progressive Era, under the headline “Last Covered Bridge In County Burns,” readers learned that “fire of undetermined origin destroyed the Hamburg covered bridge, near Furman, on Saturday night. The bridge, which was said to be the last covered bridge in the county, crossed Pine Barren Creek a few miles from Snow Hill and Furman.

“The fire was discovered Saturday night and although it had practically consumed upper portions of the bridge in a short time, was still burning the next morning.

“Earlier covered bridges in the county which have been gone for a number of years, including the Pursley Creek and Gravel Creek bridges, Boykin Bridge, McConnico’s Mill, Pine Hill and others.”

In the end, it would be interesting to know what happened to the other covered bridges mentioned above. If anyone in the reading audience has any additional information they’d like to share, please let me know. Eventually, we may be able to compile a more thorough history of these old, forgotten covered bridge sites.