Join us one or both events of this special two-part outing!

First we’ll visit the best preserved of the remaining covered bridges built by Horace King, a talented bridge-builder, architect and businessman of considerable wealth before the Civil War. King was African-American from a tri-racial heritage, and began building bridges in the 1820’s, working primarily in western Georgia and eastern Alabama. He used the Towns Lattice-Truss design which allowed for a longer span with fewer supports.

King was a gifted bridge builder and architect, and known in his time as “one of the most outstanding engineers of the South.”* King was an immensely popular and well-respected community leader in his day. After the Civil War he was elected to the Alabama State Legislature by write-in votes, even though he did not run for office and even tried to dissuade people from voting for him — he still won election.

Though most of his bridges are gone today, replaced by 20th century steel and concrete structures, the freestanding, three-story spiral staircase at the State Capitol in Montgomery remains as an impressive testament to his talent. The Red Oak Creek Bridge, which we’ll visit in the morning near Woodbury, Georgia, is the best remaining example of his work, with the original lattice structure and wooden pegs still clearly visible.

We’ll learn more about Horace King and the truly amazing story of his life, then we’ll head over to Pine Mountain and walk a loop trail at Dowdell’s Knob, known for being one of President Franklin Roosevelt’s favorite places to sit and think. It’s rumored that he thought of the New Deal while looking over the far-reaching landscape view seen from our meeting  location at Pine Mountain.

We’ll walk about 1/8 – 1/4 mile while visiting the Horace King Bridge; the trail at pine Mountain is an approximately 3.5-4 mile loop, with a few long grades but no particularly steep hills.

After visiting the Horace King Bridge we’ll do a quick rest stop in Warm Springs, GA before heading up to the Pine Mountain trailhead, and we’ll have a picnic lunch before walking the Pine Mountain Trail.

To register (RSVP) click HERE – details and directions sent to registered participants. 

A donation of $20 or more helps support our programs. 

* quotation from: https://opelikaobserver.com/horace-kings-architectural-legacy/

Photos © Kathryn Kolb: top, above right, left: Red Oak Creek Bridge, Red Oak Creek Bridge, detail; Linda Best on Pine Mtn trails and with Franklin D. Roosevelt statue at Dowdell’s Knob. Top left: Horace King portrait detail, public domain image.