What’s not to love?
Abundant sunshine, temps in the mid-70s, and 16 Corvettes traversing hill and dale to lay eyes on a historic wooden-covered bridge and eat some barbecue. To that end, we say, let the good time roll!
There is just something about these early Spring road trips that always plants a big toothy grin on our face. And we weren’t alone. You could tell everyone from the Corvette Cruisers of Atlanta club was eager to shake off the dreary winter doldrums.
Today, a fun caravan run was on tap to experience what some consider one of Georgia’s most picturesque state parks: Watson Mill Bridge. The highlight, of course, was the aforementioned 229-foot covered wooden bridge.
Learning From The Father
For you, fellow history buffs, Philadelphia was the home of America’s first covered bridge in 1805. Hundreds were constructed over the next couple of decades, and that number pushed over 10,000 by the late 1800s.
Roughly 700 covered bridges remain today, though many are only replicas of their former self. Most of these historic bridges are no longer supported by wooden trusses or are open to traffic for structural reasons.
The 229-foot town lattice truss Watson Mill Bridge is Georgia’s longest covered bridge still in use. Its longevity testifies to the engineering expertise of its builder, Washington King.
When you delve into Washington King’s accomplishments, you’ll quickly find that his father, Horace King, was a famous southern bridge builder.
Horace King was enslaved in the South and was freed before the Civil War. He gained a considerable reputation as an accomplished bridge builder during his long career.
In fact, the New Georgia Encyclopedia refers to Horace King as “the most respected bridge builder in west Georgia, Alabama, and Northeast Mississippi from the 1830s until the 1880s.”
Horace’s skills were so well respected that he was hired to construct massive town lattice truss bridges over nearly every major river, from the Oconee in Georgia to the Tombigbee in Mississippi.
His bridges spanned nearly every crossing of the Chattahoochee River from Carroll County to Fort Gaines. Young Washington King undoubtedly learned much from his talented father, which he applied to Watson Mill Bridge construction.
Packed With Fun Options
At 1,100 acres, the Watson Mill Bridge park is one of the smaller parks in Georiga. But don’t let the acreage fool you; the varying terrain and overall layout are conducive to various outdoor activities.
An early owner of the Watson Mill land harnessed the abundant hydroelectric energy of the south fork of the Broad River to generate electrical power. This electricity powered a mill complex, including a grain mill, blacksmith shop, community store, and hotel.
Though you can spot their remains from the various walking paths, these structures are mostly gone or in ruins. This state park opened its gates to the public in 1973 after the old mill and power plant closed.
In addition to the walking, hiking, and biking trails, there are 14 miles of trails for horseback riding. The campground offers 21 sites for RV and trailer camping and 11 sites for equestrian camping.
Each site can hold a full-sized RV or campervan up to 50 feet long and has water and electrical connections. For the treasure hunters among us, the park is a good source of geocaching.
CCA is Always On The Move
The Corvette Cruisers of Atlanta is one of those clubs that is always on the move. This day trip to Watson Mill Bridge is just one of many adventures on the schedule for this year.
Their activity calendar has picnics, BBQs, car shows, cruise-ins, car detail days, and technical classes available. There are also weekend overnight caravan excursions and their holiday party, which everyone looks forward to every year.
One event you should mark on your social calendar is their 12th annual Corvette and Camaro car show. This year, the show is on September 14th, 2024.
For reference, here is our coverage of their 2023 extravaganza: Corvette Cruisers of Atlanta Puts On Another Terrific Event.
Fun Times
For those looking to explore Watson Bridge State Park on their own, it’s about 18 miles northeast of Athens, GA, as the crow flies.
So, if you get the chance, we recommend tagging along with the Corvette Cruisers of Atlanta (CCA). They’re a fun group with well-thought-out events that give you just the right amount of seat time.
Not to mention, they know the best places to eat when it’s all said and done. What else can we say? We had fun on our day trip to the historic Watson Mill Bridge with CCA, as we knew we would.
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