South Carolina Has 3 Lost Covered Bridges Most People Don’t Know About

In the early 1970s, South Carolina was home to three historic covered bridges that no longer exist. But that's not because the state didn't make any effort to preserve them. It did! Let's take a look at how fate, vandalism, and just bad luck intervened to leave us today with three lost covered bridges in South Carolina.

1. Bradley's Covered Bridge - Troy

This historic covered bridge was built in 1892. It was a single lane wide, 192 feet long, 30 feet high, and crossed Long Cane Creek in McCormick County 3.2 miles west of Troy.

Built in the Howe style, Bradley's Covered Bridge utilized steel rods in the truss. Its roof was covered in tin. In 1964, in an effort to preserve the structure, the state took over the maintenance and closed it to vehicular traffic.

Unfortunately, it caught fire and burned. The fire was thought to have been started by vandals.

The historic bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 - and then removed from that same list in 1979 soon after it was entirely destroyed by fire. It was one of the cooler covered bridges in SC.

2. Prather's Covered Bridge - Westminster

The original Prather's Bridge was built in 1804 using cross timbers and wooden pegs. It was completely destroyed by fire in 1863. Its replacement was then washed away by a flood in 1918. In 1920, it was again replaced by a similar, single-lane bridge that served the area until 1977.

The single-lane, two-span structure was 158 feet long and crossed the Tugaloo River to connect South Carolina to Georgia. There were two uncovered ramps leading up to the bridge; one of them was 90 feet and the one on the South Carolina side was 48 feet long.

In 1950 a small, 15-foot section in the center of the bridge was destroyed by fire, but the damage was completely repaired and that section was replaced with a new, restored section.

And then in April 1978, vandals set a nearby fire that completely destroyed this historic bridge. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and then subsequently removed after the fire. In the Westminster area, it was one of the more unique covered bridges near me

Today, folks traveling on Cleveland Pike Road over the Tugaloo River on the concrete replacement bridge can spy the concrete abutments from Prather's Bridge still standing in the Tugaloo River.

3. Chapman's Covered Bridge - Salem

The Old Chapman's Covered Bridge was built in 1917 and crossed the Keowee River. In an attempt to preserve the bridge, it was disassembled in 1969 and moved to Keowee-Toxaway State Park where it crossed Clearwater Creek. It was 131 feet long and 14 feet high. In 1974, the bridge was struck by lightning and burned. This is one of the SC covered bridges we miss!

Do you recall any of these historic bridges before they were destroyed by fire, vandalism, or lightning? Do you know of other lost covered bridges in South Carolina? Tell us about them!

Looking for more great places to visit in South Carolina?  And if you’re traveling around the state, don’t forget to pack the ultimate road snacks!