Pool's Mill Covered Bridge
Also known as: Settendown Creek Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Pool's Mill Covered Bridge carries Pool's Mill Road over Settendown Creek in Forsyth County, Georgia. Built in 1900-01 to replace an earlier bridge lost to a flash flood, it is a 96-foot single-span Town Lattice structure made of heart poplar sawn at the nearby mill. The mill's operator hired local millwright John Wofford, who left the job after boring the pin holes incorrectly. Bud Gentry took over, enlarged the diagonals to 2 by 10 inch timbers, and reused Wofford's boards as flooring. The bridge is one of 22 covered bridges left in Georgia and one of 14 still in use. The nominated area also includes the site of Pool's Mill, which began as a water-powered tub mill built by the Cherokee chief George Welch around 1820. The site is described as an archeological resource tied to Indian removal and settlement. A 1972 renovation replaced the roof and siding, though the bridge is now in fair condition and needs further repair.
Significance in brief: The bridge is one of 22 covered bridges remaining in Georgia and one of 14 still in use, and one of 13 built to the Town Lattice design. The nomination also ties the adjacent mill site to Cherokee chief George Welch and to the transition that followed Indian removal and white settlement, and treats it as a potential archeological resource.
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 75000593, listed April 1, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NW of Cummings off GA 369 on Pool's Mill Rd., Cumming |
|---|---|
| County | Forsyth County |
| Listed | April 1, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000593 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1900-01 |
| Architect / builder | John Wofford, local millwright (original contractor); Bud Gentry (completed the bridge); pins turned by Will Wright |
| Architectural style | Town Lattice truss covered bridge |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as fair. The bridge was renovated in 1972, but vandals and weather have since caused damage, and the roof, siding and upper chords need further repair. |
| Acreage | 9 |
| Coordinates | 34.28898, -84.24298 (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 75000593.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7228554
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.