Henderson County Bridge 120 (High or Green River Bridge)

The 1927 High Bridge (or Green River Bridge) is the signature reinforced concrete, open spandrel arch bridge in North Carolina and one of the state's signature bridges of any type or era. Rather than solid side walls, which defined the closed spandrel arch, open spandrel arches had more delicate, open walls. These used less material, but required more complicated formwork and effort to construct. They were best suited for wide crossings, where the use of less concrete maximized savings in both dead weight and cost. The open spandrel arch's potential for gracefulness also made it desirable at prominent crossings, such as Green River, where the State Highway Commission could put its design prowess on display.

To carry the Spartanburg Highway/US 176 over the Green River west of Saluda, the Commission constructed a 580-foot-long, seven-span structure. On the approach spans it made use of four standard tee beam designs, each 40 feet in length. Over the water, though, it erected three open spandrel spans, a 185-foot-long center arch flanked by arches of 110 feet. The elegant design and asymmetry of the end arch spans, coupled with a grand mountain setting, resulted in a tour de force for the Commission, the state Bridge Unit, and state bridge engineer William L. Craven and designing engineer F.W. Hunter. With contractors E. A. Wood & Company of Andrews, North Carolina in charge, the bridge began to rise over the river on June 1, 1927. It was completed the following May at a total cost of $113,000.

The national Engineering News Record commented on the bridge's graceful lines and the successful application of an asymmetrical arch design to the site. In the late 1920s and the 1930s, the bridge became a poster child for the accomplishments of the State Highway Commission, frequently appearing in annual reports, articles, and other public relations materials.

Observers less knowledgeable than the Engineering News Record admired the bridge not for its overcoming of engineering challenges, but for its beauty. Each arch span is underpinned by two ribs that support thin spandrel columns complete with capitals. The wide central arch rises a full 80 feet from its base to its crown. Over this airy substructure, the deck seems to float. By comparison, the parapet walls edging the roadway are sedate. They are solidly poured of reinforced concrete incised with long rectangles inside and out. Perhaps their unbroken surfaces were intended to reassure drivers and passengers crossing the bridge.

In the late 1990s, High Bridge was replaced by a new US 176 span, which is impressive in its own right for its minimal number of seemingly delicate piers. The 1927 bridge was retained, though, and can now be admired from the deck of its new companion. (An initial plan to demolish the bridge carried a price tag of $240,000, more than twice the original construction cost of the structure.)