Skip to main content

Louisville & Nashville Turnpike Stone Bridges - Goodlettsville, TN

Image
By
Located no more than one half mile apart and sandwiched between Interstate 65, US 31W, and US 41 in Goodlettsville, Tennessee are two stone arch bridges that were once a part of the Louisville & Nashville Turnpike.  The bridges were most likely built in the late 1830s and for decades carried numerous stagecoaches between the cities.

The two bridges are located off of the fittingly called Old Stone Bridge Road and cross two different creeks, Manskers and Slaters.  With the nearby railroad, Dixie Highway, and Interstate, examples from a number of eras in our nation's transportation history can be found within less than one square mile.


The first bridge is known as the Old Stone Bridge and can be found immediately off of US 31W/41.  The two arch bridge is approximately 90 feet long and crosses Manskers Creek.

About a quarter mile up the road is the second stone bridge - known as the Turnpike Bridge.  This bridge is at the end of Old Stone Bridge Road and access out leads to an abandoned lot from the US 31W/Interstate 65 Interchange.  This lot can sometimes be fenced off so be wary that you may need to turn around and go back.


The Turnpike Bridge is a 57 foot long stone arch crossing Slaters Creek.  It was most likely built at the same time as its sister bridge to the south.

The Louisville & Nashville Turnpike was one of many toll stagecoach routes throughout the United States in the early 19th Century.  Like many, including the National Road, the L&N Turnpike would fall into disrepair as a result of the rise of the railroads.  The similarly named but not related Louisville & Nashville Railroad would be the culprit of the Turnpike's demise.  Much of the original Louisville & Nashville Turnpike can be traced by following US 31W into Kentucky.  Within Kentucky there are a number or preserved sections including bridges and a two mile preserved walking trail within Fort Knox.

All photos taken by post author - February 14, 2019.

How to Get There:

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Crescent City Connection (New Orleans, LA)

By
The Crescent City Connection is a massive dual-span steel truss bridge that spans the lower Mississippi River at downtown New Orleans, about 95 river miles upstream from the mouth of the great river at the Head of Passes Light. If counted as a single bi-directional highway bridge, the parallel spans combine to form the single busiest bridge on the Mississippi River and its importance as a linchpin in the region’s transportation network cannot be overstated. While there have been various schemes over the years to construct bridges downriver from Algiers Point, this bridge has been the southernmost bridge on the Mississippi River since its initial construction in the 1950s. The years immediately following the end of World War II were a transformational period in the history of New Orleans. Already one of the great economic and cultural centers of the American Deep South, it was recognized at this time that major changes and improvements to the city’s transportation infrastructure would b...
Post a Comment
Read more

Old US Route 99 through Tipton, Tulare, and Tagus Ranch

By
This summer I had a look into the alignment history of US Route 99 through the Tulare County communities of Tipton, Tulare, and Tagus Ranch.  While this slab below might seem like much it is one of the few remaining reminders of how US Route 99 was during the 1920s in Tulare County. This blog is part of the larger Gribblenation US Route 99 Page.  For more information pertaining to the other various segments of US Route 99 and it's three-digit child routes check out the link the below. Gribblenation US Route 99 Page Part 1; the history of US Route 99 in Tipton, Tulare, and Tagus Ranch Tipton and Tulare were both founded in 1872 as sidings of the Southern Pacific Railroad.  The Southern Pacific Railroad laid the groundwork for development of southern San Joaquin Valley.  Previous to the Southern Pacific Railroad travel via wagon or foot in Central California tended to avoid San Joaquin Valley in favor of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road.  The Stockton Los Ange...
Post a Comment
Read more

Former US Route 101 and California State Route 41 through Paso Robles

By
Paso Robles is a city located on the Salinas River of San Luis Obispo County, California.  As originally configured the surface alignments of US Route 101 and California State Route 41 converged in downtown Paso Robles.  US Route 101 originally was aligned through Paso Robles via Spring Street.  California State Route 41 entered the City of Paso Robles via Union Road and 13th Street where it intersected US Route 101 at Spring Street.  US Route 101 and California State Route 41 departed Paso Robles southbound via a multiplex which split near Templeton.   Pictured above is the cover of the September/October 1957 California Highways & Public Works which features construction of the Paso Robles Bypass.  Pictured below is the 1935 Division of Highways Map of San Luis Obispo County which depicts US Route 101 and California State Route 41 intersecting in downtown Paso Robles.   Part 1; the history of US Route 101 and California State Route 41 i...
Post a Comment
Read more