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Chatham and Lee County Trip

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Billy Riddle is in the area this weekend visiting relatives with his fiancee. He stopped down to Raleigh and we headed on a brief afternoon trip. And came across two pleasant surprises.

Route: I-440, US 1, NC 42, NC 902, NC 87, US 64, US 1, I-440.

Accomplishments: Billy gained three counties (Lee, Chatham, and Moore). I added mileage to NC 42 and 87 along with clinching NC 902.

Notes:
The US 421 Sanford Bypass is still under construction and I now know that the US 421 interchange with the US 1/15/501/NC 87 freeway will be a cloverleaf with collector/distributor ramps along US 421. US 421 will run over US 1.

We soon got onto NC 42 West which is a rolling highway through fields, farms, and forests towards Pottery Country. Not that far along, we were very surprised to see a covered bridge built just north of where NC 42 crosses Pocket Creek. This is a recently built covered bridge on a small offshoot of former NC 42. It appears some final landscaping and clean-up is needed. I am guessing that the bridge is to be part of Old Gilliam Mill Park.



The next surprise on NC 42 at the Lee/Chatham County Line. Here, where the highway crosses the Deep River are remnants of the former Carbonton Dam. The former hydroelectric dam was built in 1921. Demolition of the dam began in 2005.


There is something about finding old abandoned structures like these in the summer time. Especially right after a thunderstorm or with looming clouds nearby. I think I may convert these to black and white when I add them to Carolina Lost.


Finally, there is the aging bridge that carries NC 42 over the Deep River. There is something about the two photos from today that captures the spirit and the surroundings of today's roadtrip.


That's it for the photos. I took 22 in total and these are some of the ones I enjoyed the most. I was kinda surprised at the amount of great subjects that I found on this route and a few weeks ago in the Uwharries. In addition, in doing some background research for this post there are a number of old truss bridges still standing in Chatham and Lee Counties. It just goes to show that there is still plenty of items to find and stories to be told just within North Carolina.
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