Mitchell County Bridge 223

This suspension footbridge, built by the state's Bridge Maintenance Unit in 1947, is the oldest of 21 identified "swinging" bridges dating from 1947 to 1965 in western North Carolina. It also one of the most complete, retaining a significant proportion or its original fabric. As with most of the state-built suspension footbridges, it replaced a previous county-built structure. According to the minutes of the Mitchell County Commissioners of Roads, the county had erected a wire-cable suspension footbridge at its site in 1915. The commissioners had authorized the expenditure of $29.25 for wire cable from the International Supply Company and agreed to split the cost of the bridge with the Board of Education, likely because children would regularly cross the bridge on their way to and from school. The current bridge still provides the only public crossing of Rock Creek from NC 226 for close to a mile. It stands about four miles (as the crow flies) northwest of Bakersville.

The 92.5-foot-long suspension bridge has two timber stringer approach spans at its west end and a timber stringer approach span and steps at its east that give the structure an overall length of 144 feet. Its cables are one-inch-diameter steel wire with the walkway suspended from steel rod hangers looped over the cables. The hangers pick up timber floorbeams by bolts with washers. The bridge has a wood plank deck and woven-wire fence railing on its suspension span. Its welded towers are composed of salvaged I beams for the columns and built-up channel-shaped members. Its main cables are spliced just above the buried anchorage or deadman (concrete anchor block) at its west end. According to state records, the western deadman was replaced in 2002 along with several hangers. The anchor cable at the deadman was replaced in 1974, but otherwise records do not identify any major repairs to or rebuilding of the structure.