Buchanan Swinging Bridge

One of the Town of Buchanan's most famous architectural structures, the swinging bridge is an adaptive reuse of the Town's original Main Street Bridge which was replaced in 1938 when Main Street was rerouted with the Town's current style concrete James River Bridge.
With elements having survived numerous floods, Hunter's Civil War raid, and the rerouting of U.S. Route 11, portions of the original bridge are still integral parts of Buchanan's every day life. Buchanan's swinging bridge is the last of its type to cross the James River, the bridge is an important symbol of the Town and an important pedestrian pathway. The large stone piers acting as footers for the bridge were initially constructed as part of a toll bridge in 1851 by the Buchanan Turnpike Company. 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.

Reportedly burned by General McCausland in 1864 to prevent Hunter's Federal troops from crossing, the bridge was rebuilt only to be washed away in 1877. At this time the R&A Railroad Company rebuilt a toll free covered bridge which was later replaced in 1897 with a steel bridge on the same original footers.

In July of 1937 construction of the current concrete James River Bridge 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 new bridge was dedicated by former Governor E. Lee Trinkle as speaker. In November of 1985, severe damage to the swinging bridge resulted from the great flood of that year and the structure was rebuilt.

Since its construction, the swinging bridge has been a notable landmark for the area and an important pedestrian link between Buchanan and Pattonsburg neighborhoods. On January 27, 1999 Buchanan's Swinging Bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Town's Historic District.