Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge carries unpaved Old River Road across Coheelee Creek about two miles north of Hilton, Georgia. J. W. Baughman built it in 1883 under orders of the Early County Board of Commissioners. The structure is fully covered, 140 feet long including approaches, 14 feet wide and 15 feet high at center. It has two 54-foot spans of rough-sawn heart pine, resting on three concrete piers and two abutments. The spans use a Kingpost truss modified with added timbers and iron rods to cover the longer distance. Georgia has only 22 covered bridges left, and 14 remain in use; this one is described as the southernmost covered bridge on a public highway in the United States. In 1957 the county made the Peter Early Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, custodians of the bridge, and a state historical marker was erected in 1958. Repairs followed a 1971 truck collision, and the bridge remains in daily use.
Significance in brief: The bridge is one of 22 covered bridges remaining in Georgia and one of 14 still in use. It uses a modified Kingpost truss, reinforced with extra timbers and iron rods to reach 54-foot spans. It is also described as the southernmost covered bridge on a public highway in the United States.
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 76000617, listed May 13, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2 mi. N of Hilton on Old River Rd., Hilton |
|---|---|
| County | Early County |
| Listed | May 13, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000617 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1883 |
| Architect / builder | J. W. Baughman |
| Architectural style | Modified Kingpost truss covered bridge |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Structurally good condition, needing some siding repairs; damaged by a truck in April 1971, repaired soon after, and in daily use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.30711, -85.07771 (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 76000617.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q55607861
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.