Kesler Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Spanning the Middle Fork of the Broad River on the Banks and Franklin county line in Georgia, this covered bridge was built in 1925 to replace an earlier bridge washed away in a flood. Robert Verner led the construction crew, which included Eugene Vaughn, J. A. Kesler, Grady Crump and Dave Crump. The bridge takes its name from the Kesler family, who owned adjoining land. It measures 69 feet long in a single span, with heart pine timbers, concrete abutments, board-and-batten siding and a metal roof. Its distinguishing feature is the combination of a Kingpost truss at the north end and a Queenpost truss at the south end, where a span of this length would normally have used a single Queenpost design. It is one of 21 covered bridges remaining in Georgia and one of 13 still in use. The bridge is in fair condition, lists slightly for lack of overhead bracing, and still carries traffic on an unpaved road.
Significance in brief: The bridge is unusual because one span uses two truss designs: Kingpost at the north end and Queenpost at the south end. A bridge of this length would normally have used a single Queenpost truss. It is also one of 21 covered bridges remaining in Georgia and one of 13 still in use.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 75000571, listed June 18, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 10 mi. N of Homer on County Line Rd. over Middle Fork Broad River, Homer |
|---|---|
| County | Banks County |
| Listed | June 18, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000571 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1925 |
| Architect / builder | Builder: Robert Verner, foreman, with crew Eugene Vaughn, J. A. Kesler, Grady Crump and Dave Crump |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In fair condition and in use, carrying a moderate amount of traffic; needs repairs to roof ends, siding, floor and top bracing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.42420, -83.38753 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 75000571.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q58904082
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.