Coldwater - 1850
1850s Coldwater Covered Bridge, also known as the Hughes Mill Covered Bridge, is a locally owned wooden covered bridge that spans the outflow from Oxford Lake (marble springs) in Calhoun County, Alabama. It is located at Oxford Lake Park off State Route 21 in the city of Oxford, about 4 miles south of Anniston. Coldwater Covered bridge was moved on August 17, 1990, to Oxford Lake, after it was donated to the city of Oxford by the Calhoun County Commission.
Built circa 1850, the 63-foot bridge is a rare construction of Multiple King-post trusses with Town Lattice over a single span. The Tallahatchee Covered Bridge, which was also located in Calhoun County, had a similar resemblance. It is currently the oldest existing covered bridge in Alabama. The bridge is maintained by the City of Oxford.
The Coldwater Covered Bridge was built by a former slave around 1850 (although some sources say it was built as early as 1839), originally located over Coldwater Creek. Nearby was Coldwater Mill, also known as Hughes Mill, a local saw and lumber mill owned by Peter N. Hughes and Humphrey Hughes. The bridge partially burned in the early morning hours of August 11, 1920, but was able to be repaired and remain open to motor vehicle traffic. A concrete and steel bridge eventually replaced the aging Coldwater Covered Bridge in 1974, which was soon left to temporarily survive the elements. In 1990, the bridge was fully restored and moved to Oxford Lake Park. The tin roof which was originally on the covered bridge has been replaced with a shingled roof. It is now one of many visited tourist attractions within the Anniston area.
As Coldwater Creek Covered Bridge, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 11, 1973.
Located at: N33 36.45 W85 49.00 - WGCB #01-08-01
Photographed in early December of 2019.