Georgia DOT Bridge No. 047-00820F-00347E, County Road 382 Spanning Chickamauga Creek, Ringgold

Source document Quoted word for word from HAER GA,24-RINGG,1-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Vehicular bridge To be demolished Siynif i.cance The Geoi-ia DOT Bridge or commonly known as Government Bridge, is important to the local history of the community of Ringgold. It was originally part of the approach road system to the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. Catoosa County agreed to take over the jurisdiction of the road and the bridge from the National Park Service, if the Park improved the road. Road improvements included the construction of the bridge. Structurally, the rubble masonry substructure and masonry abutments are unique for the local area. Historically, the bridge is one of the few built in Georgia in since state politics put little emphasis on transportation improvements. Report P-epaied by Rebecca A.

Kermes Historian Office of Environment/Location Georgia Department of Transportation Aviation Circle Atlanta, Georgia Date: April r GEORGIA DOT BRIDGE #047-00820F-00347E, (Government Bridge) HAER No. GA- |fc Page 2 ^1 PHYSICAL CONTEXT: Catoosa County is located in northwest Georgia and borders Tennessee. The topography of northwest Georgia is mountainous and; therefore, the development of transportation systems were difficult. Government Bridge, in Catoosa County, Georgia is located in the southwest city limits of Ringgold. It is a steel stringer bridge and is located on County Road 382 spanning South Chickamauga Creek where it meets East Chickamauga Creek. Thfi area immediately surrounding the bridge consists of scattered single family residences and forest. PHYSICAL

Source document Quoted word for word from HAER GA,24-RINGG,1-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Government Bridge is feet wide and 136 feet in length. It has a steel or multi beam girder, a concrete deck, masonry substructure, decorative stone abutments and concrete balustrade. It has two spans with a maximum span length of 68 feet. It rises approximately 18 feet above South Chickamauga Creek.2

Source document Quoted word for word from HAER GA,24-RINGG,1-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The history associated with this bridge begins before its construction with the establishment of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park in The enabling legislation called for U.S. Government ownership of approaches from all directions upon cession by the states of Georgia and Tennessee. C GEORGIA DOT BRIDGE #047-00820F-00347E, (Government Bridge) HAER No. GA-=22 e Page 3 #?

Section 1 of the Act states that: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park was established for the purpose of preserving and suitable marking for historical and professional military study of the fields of some of the most remarkable maneuvers and most brilliant fighting in the war of rebellion, and upon ceding of jurisdiction to the United States by the -States of Tennessee and Georgia, the report of the Attorney General that the title to the lands thus ceded is perfect. Eight approach roads were cited in the Act, one of which was the road from Ringgold to the entrance of the park. Government Bridge is located on this road. A reduced photocopy of a 18 91 plat map of the Ringgold approach road can be found on Page 9 (not for reproduction).

The original plat map is housed at the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park and permission is required to reproduce it. 4 In in the Annual Report of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National MiliLary Park Commission to the Secretary of War, the superintendent, Mr. Bonyton describes the approach road to Ringgold as significant to the Battle of Chickamauga. He states that the Ringgold field was the site of the final battle of the Union campaign for Chattanooga. With the increased costs of maintaining the approach roads, the Department of War wanted to decrease the expense of regular park maintenance. In the following Act was passed: GEORGIA DOT BRIDGE #047-00820F-00347E, (Government Bridge) HAER No. GA-"2^6. Page 4 V?

The Secretary of War is authorized to convey by proper quit claim deed to any State, county, municipality, or proper agency thereof, all the right, title, and interest of the United States in and to any Government owned or controlled approach road to any national cemetery or national military park. Prior to this conveyance the agency receiving the road shall notify to the Secretary of War in writing of their willingness to accept and maintain the road or roads. In and in accordance with this legislation. Congress appropriated for paving Dry Valley, Ringgold, and Lafayette Extension roads, to place them in such condition as to induce the State of Georgia to accept jurisdiction over them.

Georgia soon took over the Dry Valley Road, but could not financially afford to meet terms (matching funds) of the federal legislation regarding the other two. In plans were prepared for concreting all primary roads for the park which included the Ringgold Road. In the local residents petitioned the park authorities to oil the road. The park superintendent, Mr. Randolph, agreed with the residents and pointed out to army officials that the gravel road handled very heavy traffic consisting of trucks, buses, automobiles, and horse drawn transportation. He further stated that the road was used extensively by troops at Fort Oglethorpe traveling to and from the shooting range just southeast of Ringgold.

The War Department agreed to recommend to Congress an extension of the Ringgold Road appropriation of which had previously GEORGIA DOT BRIDGE #047-00820F-00347E, (Government Bridge) HAER No. GA-^M- Page 5 1 reverted to the Treasury after Georgia had failed to match the sum for improving the road. 7 " The Superintendent's Report dated July states that the reconstruction of Ringgold Road would be completed under a Public Works allotment. Furthermore, under the terms of an agreement executed on July 28, the County of Catoosa, Georgia was to take the road over after its reconstruction. A copy of a letter from Mr. Wood, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Roads and Revenues of Catoosa County confirms Q the statement.

In July of the Superintendent's monthly report to the Secretary of the Interior included a brief message stating that the Ringgold Bridge Project, entailing construction of a new bridge over East Chickamauga Creek, Contract No. I-lp-3759, with the George A. Thomson Company of Greenville, South Carolina had g been completed except miscellaneous finishing. The Superintendent's Annual Report for the Park reports: The Ringgold Road from the Chickamauga Park boundary to US Route 41 E in Ringgold, Georgia was improved with a bituminous Road mix on a chert base course by the Tyler Company, Inc., of Louisville, Kentucky.

This project consisted of miles of regrading and chert surfacing, commenced November 2, and completed August 28, at a cost of r GEORGIA DOT BRIDGE #047-00820F-00347E, (Government Bridge) HAER No. GA-"2 & Page 6 Vl The improvement of this road called for the removal of a 135 foot steel truss superstructure of the Ringgold Bridge spanning East Chickamauga Creek, widening the existing abutments, the construction of a new center pier, and a new superstructure consisting of two I-beam spans with concrete floor and railing. This work was done by the George A. Thomson Company of Greenwood,, South Carolina, beginning operation on March 25, and completing the project on July 3, for Without construction plans the exact construction of the bridge can not be determined.

However, contractors often followed the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) manual, the predecessor of todays American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), which gave general construction methods and guidelines. For example, a chart was provided which gave different mixtures of concrete (how many gallons of water to mix with aggregate) depending on the use of the concrete. The defining characteristic of the bridge is the stone masonry work. The edition of AASHO Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges defines ashlar masonry as first class cut stone masonry laid in regular courses, as distinguished from rubble masonry. The individual stones are tooled to exact dimensions. More detail is given to the size and finish of the stones.

For example, the stones should not be less than 12 or more than 30 inches in thickness. Also, the surface finishes of the stone are defined as: smooth finish - having surface in which the c variations from the pitch line do not exceed inch; fine GEORGIA DOT BRIDGE #047-00820F-00347E, (Government Bridge) HAER No. GA-23ft . Page 7 #T finish - 1/4 inch; rough finish - 1/2 inch; scabbled - 3/4 inch; and rock faced - an irregular projecting face without indications of tool marks. On Page 10 a photocopy of a photograph taken during construction by an unknown photographer shows the detail of the stone abutment. The original photograph is housed at the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park and permission is required to reproduce the photograph.

12 The construction of the stone piers were either solid stone or concrete with stone facing. If the piers are r-olid stone, the AASHO manual specifies that at least one-half of the stones in the backing shall be of the same size and character as the face stone and with parallel ends. 13 The following information was obtained through interviews with several citizens from Ringgold: Mr. Harris said he was fifteen years old when the bridge was constructed in the mid He recalled one day driving to Chattanooga in his father's truck. When he returned, his father was waiting for him to use the truck to haul gravel to the construction site of the bridge. Before Government Bridge was constructed, a single lane truss bridge spanned South Chickamauga Creek.

The bridge flooded quite often and a replacement was necessary. However, the topography surrounding the bridge was too low, therefore, the approaching roadway needed to be built up. The gravel was used to build up the road.14 C GEORGIA DOT BRIDGE #047-00820F-00347E, (Government Bridge) HAER No. GA-236*. Page 8 ^S Harris's wife, Mary Francis, lived in a house adjacent to the bridge. She also recalled the need to build up the approaching roadway. Mr. Louis Baxter worked as a laborer during the construction of the bridge. He recalled mainly hauling two by four's and mixing cement. He was in high school and only worked part time. Mr. Baxter's sister, Louise Baxter, remembered quite a bit about the construction of tho bridge.

She said dirt was dug from her family's property to build up the roadway. The slopes were held in place by rocks. She said the road was elevated about ten / v ~ feet. She said that the bridge often flooded and that the roadway was elevated so a higher bridge could be constructed. Ms. Baxter also remembered the workers stacked sand bags in the creek in order to build the stone substructure. She had childhood memories of soldiers from the 6th Cavalry posted at Fort Oglethorpe riding over the bridge to reach the Catoosa Firing Range. She remembered the horses would get loose and would run back across the bridge towards Fort Oglethorpe. Ms. Baxter recollected that on any given summer day 50 to 75 children would play in the creek.

At the location of the bridge, the Little Chickamauga Creek would merge with South Chickamauga Creek. This made for a popular swimming hole. There were ropes for children to swing on, and the area was considered the "public swimming pool." Ms. Baxter said that it was also a place where many Baptisms (~^ took place. She was baptized in the creek as was Mary Francis .17 Harris. GEORGIA DOT BRIDGE #047-00820F-00347E, (Government Bridge) HAER No. GA-23S6- Page 9 S*j ' f> r <: * s H o* GEORGIA DOT BRIDGE #047-00820F-00347E, (Government Bridge) HAER No. GA-: Page 10 auxocz) scins; * rum tf 3ovth ftbutaBOb during r GEORGIA DOT BRIDGE #047-00820F-00347E, (Government Bridge) HAER No. GA-29 4 Page 11 7 Endnotes A.G.

Lichenstein and Associates, Inc., "Georgia Historic Bridge Inventory," Georgia Department of Transportation. 2 Georgia Department of Transportation, Bridge Maintenance Files. 3 Department of the Interior, Management Obiectives Workshop: August 9 & 10, Chickamauga and Chattanoogna National Military Park, 11. 4 Photocopy of map (original plat map dated located at the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. "Annual Report of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park Commission to the Secretary of War, in Report of the Secretary of War, Management Objectives Workshop, 15.

Department of the Interior, Administrative History of Chickamauga and Chattanoogna National Military Park, Q "Monthly Report of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park to the Secretary of the Interior, July in Report of the Secretary of the Interior, 4. r GEORGIA DOT BRIDGE #047-00820F-00347E, (Government Bridge) HAER No. GA-S^Ww Page 12 $f 9 "Monthly Report of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park to the Secretary of the Interior, July in Report of the Secretary of the Interior, 2.

"Annual Report of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park to the Secretary of the Interior, July in Report of the Secretary of the Interior, AASHO Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges, 2nd Edition, 12 Photocopy of photograph by unknown photographer, original at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. 13 ASSHO Standard Specifications, 14 Mr. B. R. Harris, interview by Rebecca A. Kermes, 2 March telephone conversation, Atlanta. Mary Francis Harris, interview by Rebecca A. Kermes, 2 March telephone conversation, Atlanta. Mr. Louis Baxter, interview by Rebecca A. Kermes, 7 March telephone conversation, Atlanta. Ms. Louise Baxter, interview by Rebecca A. Kermes, 7 March telephone conversation Atlanta. r