The Lost Bridge in Pennington Gap, Virginia

About 1 mile north of Pennington Gap, Virginia you’ll find 2 concrete bridge piers and a concrete bridge abutment on the east side of the North Fork of the Powell River also known as Stone Creek.
I have contacted the county and state about the former bridge that sat at this location looking for the history of the bridge. Unfortunately neither has any record of this bridge even existing. Apparently all records have been destroyed.
However, this is what I’ve found out from aerial photos, old maps and speaking with the locals:
Older maps indicate that a bridge was at this location as far back as 1935 on what was then known as “Right Poor Valley Road”. Aerial photos show that the bridge was in use up until at least 1983 when the current bridge 600 feet south was constructed. Aerial photos also suggest that the bridge was removed by 2007.
The bridge is reported to have been a green steel pony truss bridge with a wooden deck but may have been switched over to a metal deck later on.
That’s all I have on this bridge. So basically this is a lesson I keep telling people....Nothing lasts forever. The house you live in, the church where you worship, the store where you shop, the library where you study and the community hall where you gather for monthly meetings.....They will eventually disappear. Statistically speaking, 50% of all historic structures will disappear over the next 100 years due to fire, flood, storm, neglect, progress, civil unrest, war, global warming, earthquakes and more.
Do the next generation a favor, individually video document the buildings in your town giving a short 5 minute history on each and then send me the video so that I can archive it for future generations.
I can’t do everything by myself, but with the help of everyone, we can do everything to document these structures so that future generations understand how fortunate we were to enjoy these structures in 2024.
This bridge in Pennington Gap, Virginia is only a memory to a few people and in 20 years when those people pass on, virtually nothing will be known about this bridge. Do a favor for the next generation and begin video documenting the buildings in your town and send them to me. I’ll take care of the rest.
GPS Location: 36º46'26.2"N 83º01'58.5"W

[@musclecarmitch908]

Cool find! Beautiful area there at Pennington Gap! Thanks for sharing!👍

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Glad you like it.

[@jackwalsh1468]

Satolli, another enjoyable episode in history. Thank you for all that you do. Will Jacquelyn be hosting any future episodes? Cheers, Mate.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

I'm not sure. It all depends on who is available.

[@johnswigler6512]

🧢🇺🇸 How many miles is on your vehicle

[@CivicLeagueCEH-cx5de]

Likely built with private funds. The "State" did not build it as VDOT. The question is who dismantled the bridge as a 1930s to 1980s approved structure under the former US Harbors & Rivers. Example: King's Highway Bridge by Nick Wright in now extinct Nansemond County, Virginia, over the Nansemond River, in 1924. Era of early automobiles & combustion engines in transportation: very relevant architecture remaining as a key example of early era Bridges of that era of transportation. At the end of the day: Congressional record, Army Corps of Engineers (1920s-1930s formal ACOE name check rec'd). Crossings over waterways... the recordss were not destroyed, they are simply not easily located in modern Virginia Department of Transportation records as a privately built, pre-VDOT structure.

[@user-do4tn7ch9i]

This is my home town

[@charlesolinger6250]

I do know my brothers caught a bunch of trout near this spot.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

I bet!

[@ReedyCreekRealtyRaleigh]

KEEP THE RECORDS!!!!

[@joeanderson9852]

👍

[@campermike8879]

Why I do that to Any old bridge sometimes buildings I try and document them one day they will be gone. I see you are getting close to my area Hope you used some of the places I sent ya. Meant so send more but didn't get around to it Busy moving

[@themeparkreconnoiter9787]

You really need to reset your KZbin account, because I couldn't comment on any of your videos.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

What do you mean by "reset"?

[@themeparkreconnoiter9787]

@@historyinyourownbackyard2363 I don't know. I'm just upset that it won't let me comment In your 4 month old video on Coney Island. I tried to comment about letting the river flood CSO's music venue to see how they'll feel but it keeps disappearing. There is no violence or death threats, it's free speech. I don't know if it's your KZbin account or is it KZbin itself but it's upsetting me.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

@@themeparkreconnoiter9787 I don't know why your comment won't post. There's no restrictions. Try just posting the word "Test" and let's see if that appears.

[@themeparkreconnoiter9787]

@@historyinyourownbackyard2363 or safe mode. Anyway, I tested it out typing in my previous message what I said about the CSO's music venue but it still vanished then I tested typing in "test" it constantly did the same thing. So if your account isn't on safe mode, then it really is KZbin

[@themeparkreconnoiter9787]

​​​@@historyinyourownbackyard2363 Or on safe mode, anyway I've tested it commenting again on what will to the CSO'S music venue, I figured KZbin that was causing the problems

[@user-A-A-RON]

"Global warming" 😂😂😂😂😂