Old Kings Ferry Bridge, Spanning Ogeechee River on U.S. Route 17 & State Route 25, Georgetown

Source document Quoted word for word from HAER GA-74. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The bridge is significant in the area of engineering as one of four known historic swing-span bridges and one of seven bridges identified as a Warren pony-truss with verticals and polygonal top chords in Georgia. Description: The Old Kings Ferry Bridge, built in is a swing-span bridge which retains its original design. The bridge's main span is a warren pony-truss with verticals and polygonal top-chords. The Warren truss is one of two major truss forms found in this country, the other being the Pratt truss. The warren truss was patented in by two British engineers. The design features diagonals which are alternately placed in either tension or compression forming an ~asily recognized triangular pattern.

Most Warren trusses, such as the Old Kings Ferry Bridge, have vertical members which serve to stiffen the structure. Original construction materials are in place. The deck of the main span is made of steel stringers with a timber surface overlaid with asphalt. Approach spans are of reinforced concrete. According to the Georgia Historic Bridge Survey, "this truss represents the furthest development of the pony truss before short trusses were superseded by girder bridges of reinforced concrete"(p.72). In the century rigid connections replaced flexible pin connections found in earlier bridges. All known examples of this type of bridge in the state have rigid connections, some of which are welded, a method found only in this type of truss.

The Old Kings Ferry Bridge was closed to traffic in The current bridge which carries traffic on U. S. 17/ State Route 25 across the Ogeechee River parallels the Old Kings Ferry Bridge on the southeast. History: In the southern overland approach to Savannah crossed the Ogeechee River by way of an Indian footpath. CID I<IlCS FERRY ~ HAER No. GA-74 (Page 2) At this strategic site, near the present-day junction of the river and the Savannah and Ogeechee Canal, the colonists erected Fort Argyle. After a tour of the frontier in General James Edward Oglethorpe, one of the founders of Georgia, decided that a more direct route to Darien was needed. Work commenced immediately upon one of the first roads in Georgia.

This new road would cross the Ogeechee River at a location approximately four miles downstream from Fort Argyle, at the site of the present-day Old Kings Ferry Bridge. By February the road had been completed as far as the Ogeechee River. At this time the Royal Council granted to the Commissioners of Roads for St. Philips Parish and the Commissioners of Southern Roads a 100-acre tract which was to be leased for a ferry. The road was continued beyond the river toward Darien along a causeway which was constructed through swamps and rice fields. A bridge was probably erected at this site prior to because the will of Francis Harris, a savannah merchant, grants the Ogeechee River ferry and bridge tracts to his daughter Elizabeth.

Wade Hampton and James Gunn were authorized in to operate a ferry at the site and were granted land on both sides of the river in return for bridge maintenance. Because the bridge was not being maintained properly, rights to the bridge passed in to Joseph Hill, who possessed the bridge until The third edition of A Gazetteer of Georgia by Adie! Sherwood shows Hill Bridge at the present-day location of the Old Kings Ferry Bridge. The text notes that "For crossing the Og~chee [sic] bridge and causeway, w. of it, with a four-wheel carriage, you pay two dollars; for a gig, one dollar; horse, twenty-five cents; but this has been made at great expense" . .Some time afterwards, rights to the bridge passed to the King family, which owned the bridge until after the war Between the States.

The bridge and ferry were strategic in both the American Revolution and the war Between the States. During the Revolution the bridge served as a crossing for military operations by both sides. Charles C. Jones Jr. mentions in his book, The History of Georgia that a skirmish occurred along the Ogeechee Causeway on 4 April (vol. II, pp. A detachment of British Regulars under the command of Captain Conklin were sent from Savannah to disperse rebels encamped at one of Governor Wright's plantations. Crossing at the Ogeechee Ferry, the British troops engaged the Americans in a short fight which resulted in the mortal wounding of Captain Conklin. The Americans, under the command of Colonels Pickens and Twiggs, outmaneuvered the Regulars OID KINGS FERRY BRI00E HAER No.

GA-74 (Page 3) and almost encircled them. Fighting spilled over into the rice fields and the British were forced to withdraw. This engagement is probably only one of many which occurred in the area during the war. The bridge at this site during the War Between the States was vital to the capture of Fort McAllister and the ultimate success of General Sherman's March to the Sea. Elements of the Union Corps captured the bridge on 9 December after a skirmish with Confederate defenders, who escaped after burning the structure. On December 13 the Corps crossed the rebuilt bridge and marched down Ogeechee Neck to Fort McAllister, which they captured later that day. The fall of Fort McAllister was important because it allowed Sherman access to Union supply ships off the coast of Georgia.

Proceeding up the Ogeechee River, ships unloaded at Kings Ferry, where Union troops constructed a wharf and large depot. From here supplies were distributed to Sherman's troops, which had been critically short of rations. The Union army was thereby able to continue its campaign for Savannah, which was captured December 21. H. H. Bunger acquired the bridge some time before and sold the ferry and bridge tracts to Henry Ford ca. After acquiring the land, Ford donated acreage for a public landing which is still in use today. Prior to the Ogeechee Road was one of few concrete roads in the county. With the coming of the automobile, the site continued to be important to transportation in the area. Two of the state's first highways, State Routes 25 and 30, which were designated as such ca.

crossed at this location. The Old Kings Ferry Bridge is listed in Georgia Department of Transportation records as F.A.P. This project was completed November for The bridge was constructed as part of the Atlantic Coastal Highway, one of the first interstate highways in the United States. In a system of numbering important interstate highways was adopted. Shortly after the bridge was completed the highway was designated U.S. 17 as part of that numbering system. ~he Atlantic Coastal Highway/U. s. 17 served as a major transportation artery for the eastern seaboard, connecting Maine and Key West, Florida. It was the first highway in Georgia paved from border to border. CID Imm ~ BRitGE HAER No. GA-74 (Page 4)

Source document Quoted word for word from HAER GA-74. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Books: Comp, T. Allan and Donald Jackson. "Bridge Truss Types: A Guide to Dating and Identifying." American Association for State and Local History Technical Leaflet 95, History News, Vol. 32, No. 5, May Davis, Maj. George, Leslie J. Perry, Joseph w. Kirkley, compiled by Capt. Calvin D. Cowles. The Official Military Atlas of the Civil War. New York, The Fairfax Press, Georgia Department of Transportation, Department of Natural Resources. Historic Bridge Survey. Hemperley, Marion R. Historic Indian Trails of Georgia. Garden Club of Georgia, Jones, Charles C. Jr. The History of Georgia. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, and Co., Markham, William Colfax. Autobiography of William Colfax Markham. Washington, Ransdell, Inc., Neel, State Highway Engineer.

Eighth and Ninth Annual Reports of the State Highway Engineer to the State Highway Board of the State of Georgia. Sherwood, Adiel. A Gazetteer of Georgia: Containing a Particular Description of the State; its Resources, Counties, Towns, Villages and Whatever is Usual in Statistical Works. Washington City: P. Force, 3rd ed., Maps: Anonymous A. A Map of the County of Savannah. Anonymous B. Skeleton Map Showing Public Highways in Chatham County, Georgia. ca. Bennett, Hugh H., Inspector in Charge, surveyed by Latimer and Floyd s. Bucher. Chatham County Soil Map. Bureau of Soils, Field Operations, Brown, County Engineer, Chapman, C.E. Official Map of Chatham County. Chatham County Commissioners, Estill, John Holbrook. Map of Chatham County. OID K:IN;S FERRY BRitGE HAER No.

GA-74 (Page 5) McKinnon, John. Public Roads of Chatham County. Commissioners of the Roads, edition of map. State Highway Board of Georgia. Bryan County, Georgia.