On this site in 1882, the original Hurricane Shoals Covered Bridge was completed, spanning some 127 feet at the cost of a mere $1,433. Vandals burned the old bridge in 1972, spoiling a community landmark and transportation corridor that had been in use for nine decades. Portions of the original footings are still visible today. Efforts to develop the historic shoals as a county park followed. In 1994, work began to secure federal and local funding to rebuild the bridge and to construct a history village. Key players included the Tumbling Waters Society, the Hurricane Shoals Covered Bridge Committee, DOT board member and Commerce native Steve Reynolds, and state representative and county commissioner Pat Bell. Dr. Cecil Hammond, a retired UGA engineer, developed the first working drawings for the new bridge. An "ISTEA" grant from the Georgia Department of Transportation provided the bulk of the funding for the project, which also included bike paths and related improvements. Private donations and county funds also assisted. The work was completed under the leadership of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, Harold Fletcher, chairman. On Sept. 22, 2002, the new bridge and bike paths were formally dedicated, marking the culmination of an eight-year effort.
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