Located next to Battle Smith Bridge, this metal bridge was once the only way to cross Murder Creek. It’s wholly engulfed by wisteria. If you decide to try to capture it during its brief time in bloom, I recommend photographing it in the morning light.
As a side note, Murder Creek supposedly did get its name from actual murders that happened there in the 1700s.
Horace King, 1807-1885, was considered the preeminent bridge builder in the South. It is believed he built over 100 bridges, most of them being in Alabama and Georgia. King was born into slavery in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. His enslaver, John Godwin, earned a bid to build a bridge over the Chattahoochee River. King moved with Godwin to Girard, Alabama, to begin the project.
In 1846, Godwin decided to no longer hold King in bondage. I have also read that King purchased his freedom. At this point, King’s services were in high demand to build bridges. He moved freely throughout the South. He is credited with building bridges at many points over the Chattahoochee River and other rivers. Outside of bridges, he built homes and warehouses. He also built the freestanding spiral staircase in the Alabama State Capitol.
In 1839, he married free woman, Frances Gould Thomas. They had four boys and one girl. For whatever reason, the grave markers for the four boys have the birthdate of 1844. Based on census records, which can be incorrect, I believe Washington King was born in 1840, Marshall in 1842, John in 1846, and George in 1850. All of the children were involved in the construction company that they called the King Brothers Bridge Company.
He also built homes. There is at least one surviving example in Opelika.
The Euharlee Covered Bridge, is a wooden lattice covered bridge crossing Euharlee Creek. The bridge was built after the raging creek swept away an old bridge on the property of Daniel Lowry. It was built by Washington King and Johnathan Burke. King is the son of a pre-eminent bridge builder, Horace King. The Kings were architects and engineers who built bridges and structures around the South.
