Stovall Mill Covered Bridge

There are 15 covered bridges in the State of Georgia. The 1895 Stovall Mill bridge is the smallest of them all at 38 feet and is located on GA255 going over Chicamauga Creek. It was an important link between Helen GA and Clayton GA.

Generally, in horse-and-buggy days, wooden bridges only lasted nine years or so. Trusses were the structural key to these bridges and exposure to the elements was a problem. Covering them helped them last ten times longer. The bridge we saw yesterday is 113 years old and appears to be in excellent condition.

There is a historical marker on the site, erected by the Georgia Historical Society, the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. Here’s what it says:

“Fred Dover constructed a bridge and nearby grist, saw and shingle mill complex here in the late 1800s. The original bridge washed away in the early 1890s and Will Pardue replaced it in 1895 with the present 38 foot structure.

“Dover sold the operation to Fred Stovall Sr. in 1917. The mill and dam washed away in 1964.

“Constructed as a modification of the queen post truss design, the bridge has two vertical posts (with iron rods) separated by a horizontal cross piece.

“The bridge was featured in the 1951 movie ‘Id Climb the Highest Mountain,’ starring Susan Hayward.”

This bridge brought us back in time and was fun to experience. Lois recalls visiting a covered bridge in Ontario and another in Iowa.