Swann Covered Bridge, also called Joy Covered Bridge or Swann-Joy Covered Bridge, is the longest of three remaining covered bridges located in Blount County as well as the longest covered bridge in the state of Alabama. INTERESTING NOTE - Since it was located on property owned by Swann Farms, it was generally called the Swann Bridge, although some residents also called it the Joy Bridge because it was on the road leading to Joy. [source ~ exploresouthernhistory.com] ~ HISTORY Swann Covered Bridge is 324 feet long and crosses the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River. It was completed/open for traffic in 1933 using the Town lattice truss system over three spans and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 20, 1981. It is the 2nd oldest of the three remaining covered bridges in the county (Easley & Horton Mill) even though construction for Horton Mill began in 1894. It was closed in 2009 after 76 years of continual use, but was restored and reopened to motor vehicle traffic in October of 2012. It was closed again in 2018 after being damaged from a motor vehicle accident, but reopened by December of the same year. All three covered bridges were restored starting in 2011 at a total restoration cost of approximately $540,000. Part of the money for these projects came from the federal National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation Program. [source ~ Wikipedia] Once upon a time as many as 12,000 covered bridges once existed in the United States. By 2018 there were less than one thousand, with Pennsylvania having the most at about 219, Ohio second with about 142 and Indiana third with about 130. SIDE NOTE: Did you know a covered wooden bridge can outlast a metal bridge? ~ THE EXPERIENCE Looking for things to do, we decided to travel to Alabama and visit a few landmarks and explore some of its natural beauty. Simply put, Swann's Covered Bridge is located in one of the most stunning settings I've seen of any covered bridge. Geologically, Locust Fork seems to have carved a wide canyon through this section of Alabama on its way to Black Warrior River. The results are tall cliffs & beautiful scenic views. There is a beach like feeling below the bridge with a thick layer of sand that locals seem to enjoy visiting. While there we actually met several other families out visiting off-the-grid locations for a little COVID-19 relief. Everyone just grateful to be able to get out while still maintaining social distancing protocols (although I must admit we learned children forget quickly when they see other kids, no matter how much you've reminded them). One guy told me that covered bridges initially became popular because horses didn't like crossing over wide open bridges. I'd never heard that before, but thought it was very interesting. I suppose that made it difficult for people traveling via horse drawn carriages. Sadly, many of our nations historic covered bridges were destroyed not by time or weather, but by vandals. So in 2015, after graffiti was found on nearby Easley bridges interior, security cameras were installed to help deter vandalism. ~ FACTS AT A GLANCE Year built: 1933 Construction method: Town Lattice Refurbished: 2012 Length: 324 ft Deck Width: 16.1 ft Horizontal Clearance: 10 ft (guesstimate) Vertical Clearance: 13 ft Under Clearance: 27 ft Open to vehicular traffic: YES [May 2020] FUN FACT - There is a Covered Bridge Festival held the fourth weekend of each October spotlighting Blount's three remaining Covered Bridges. It also includes arts & crafts, a pancake breakfast, car show, kids fun zone, entertainment, 5K run, quilt show, river walk and more. Not sure if they will host the 2020 edition of the festival, so best to call the County directly. ~ FINAL THOUGHTS Whether you are a covered bridge enthusiast like me, or you are looking for a great place to take interesting photos (such as engagement or pregnancy pics), or you just wanna find a place to explore the outdoors without a lot of people... this is a fantastic little spot to add to your drive, and your photo collection. After all, it is practically a destination all by itself with a relaxing beach just below its floor. Truly wish I had planned more time here! 2020 / 28 read more

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This old covered bridge was a beautiful sight to see. My boyfriend brought me here just as the sun was starting to come up. We watched the sunrise from the bank as the water rushed around us. It was so sweet and romantic. I highly recommend this spot for cute little moments to get away like this. read more

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