Swann Covered Bridge, Covered bridge in Cleveland, Alabama
Swann Covered Bridge is a wooden river crossing in Blount County that spans the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River with three sections. It uses a lattice framework system that provides structural strength across the waterway.
The bridge was built in 1933 to connect Cleveland with the nearby community of Joy. After a major fire destroyed another covered bridge in 1993, this one became the oldest of its kind remaining in the state.
The structure shows early 20th-century construction methods that rural engineers developed for river crossings. Walking across the wooden lattice design gives visitors a sense of how communities solved transportation challenges with simple materials.
The bridge sits on Swann Bridge Road near State Route 79 and is open to single-lane vehicle traffic. Visitors can access it year-round and should note that the structure underwent major restoration work.
After the collapse of another famous bridge in the region, this became the longest of its kind in Alabama. Today it stands as a reminder of a building method that vanished from almost everywhere else in the country.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
