MANCHESTER, Tenn. (WTVF) — A historic item has been part of Tennessee for 117 years. It's been at the same place in Manchester for more than fifty of those years. Now, a group is making the push for it to stay right where it is.
When you're a photographer, you're looking for those sites and subjects most striking. Photographer Deb Morgan has found one of those subjects in a bridge at Old Stone Fort State Park in Manchester.
"I'm not usually a fan of man-made things, but this is very special," Deb smiled, leaning over the bridge and looking into the distance. "I've done hundreds of photos here. Under it. On it. Going through it on a kayak. It's just an icon, not just for me but for the whole community."
The bridge was built in 1906 and was first in Franklin County. In 1970, it moved to the park where it is now.
"Joliet Bridge and Iron Company, they built only a few bridges in Tennessee," Deb continued. "I love the fact we have this beautiful relic from 117 years ago."
She's part of an effort that wants it to stay here.
In 2020, the Tennessee Department Of Transportation completed a bridge evaluation, noting deterioration and extensive damage. The bridge was closed to all vehicle traffic. New access to the campground of the park was then constructed, which was then called a temporary entrance. In the meantime, the bridge has been used by pedestrians.
"We are insisting that it stay at what it's gracefully being used for now, a pedestrian and bike pathway that connects the two sides of the park," Deb said.
A rep for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation told NewsChannel 5 in a statement:
"Tennessee State Parks is actively discussing the future of the bridge with stakeholders to better understand their preferences for this project. The current plan is to construct a new vehicular/pedestrian bridge to serve as access to the recreational vehicle campground. Due to the historical and aesthetic value of the current bridge to the community, the plan is also to preserve a portion of the current bridge to serve as an outlook for the Duck River near where it currently stands."
"We do not need this bridge replaced with a new bridge because we have a new entrance across the river," Deb said.
The effort to save the bridge is growing with a Save Our Old Stone Fort Bridge Facebook page nearing a thousand members.
"We've lost so much of our history already that this is a piece of living history," Deb continued. "Unlike a photograph, this is not one dimensional. People bring their families here. It's an important part of the character of Tennessee."
