BRIDGE TO THE PASTAlexander’s Bridge spans West Chickamauga Creek. The original bridge, constructed of wood, was a key structure used during the Battle of Chickamauga.In 1897, the original bridge was replaced with a wood, low-truss bridge built on stone abutments.In 1907, the wood, low-truss bridge was replaced with a steel ‘pony’ truss superstructure using the existing abutments.During that same year, the Slough Bridge was built, constructed of a reinforced concrete deck set on steel stringers with native stone abutments. Slough Bridge crosses a tributary of West Chickamauga Creek (a slough which accommodates overflow during high water events). Both bridges are contributing historic resources to the park’s 1890-1942 Commemorative Period.- From a federal study concerning the bridges and their replacement:
Work to replace the actual bridges where Alexander’s Bridge Road crosses West Chickamauga Creek at the boundary of Chickamauga National Battlefield Park is under way.
“We’ve had our preconstruction meeting with the contractor,” said Jim Szyjkowski, the park’s chief of resource management.
Alexander’s Bridge and the nearby Slough Bridge, both built in 1907, had deteriorated over the years to a point that both were deemed unsafe and closed to all vehicular traffic in February 2009.
Traffic counts done at the time of their closure found the bridges, separated by a 90 degree bend and within 300 feet of each other at the southeast boundary of Chickamauga Battlefield Park, were used by about 370 motorists each day.