The Buchanan Swinging Bridge is 366 feet long, 57.5 feet tall and the only one of its type to cross the James River. Portions of the bridge date back to 1851 and have witnessed Hunter’s Civil War Raid, the rerouting of U.S. Route 11, and numerous floods.
The original stone piers rising from the James River were constructed in 1851 for the Buchanan Turnpike Company’s Wood Covered Toll Bridge. Toll for every person to pass through this wood covered bridge was five cents with an additional five cents for each horse, mule or oxen and five cents for each wagon.
On June 13, 1864 the covered bridge was burned by Confederate General McCausland in an effort to prevent Federal troops from crossing the James River on their way to Lynchburg. The bridge was rebuilt following the war but washed away in a flood of 1877. At this time, the R&A Railroad Company rebuilt a toll free covered bridge. In 1897 this wood covered bridge was replaced with a steel bridge that remained in use until 1938.
In July of 1937 construction of the current concrete James River Bridge on Main Street was started with an agreement with the Town under Mayor C. W. Blount to maintain pedestrian access to Pattonsburg via the swinging bridge. On July 4, 1938, the bridge was dedicated following a presentation by Governor E. Lee Trinkle. Since 1851, portions of the Buchanan Swinging Bridge have played a critical role in the Town of Buchanan’s history while providing a scenic crossing of the James River.
