Our roadtrip was impacted by the Government Shut-Down (again), but we decided to visit what we…read morecould & hope for the best. The Rangers/Staff made our day by having a cancelation stamp available at the Chambers of Commerce in Anniston, along with additional information. We able to visit the actual site of the bus bombing & get a feel of the area. There is still a vibe surrounding the spot. The Bus Mural with information panels really broke down the chain of events so you could fully understand the sequence of actions by those involved. It is crazy to think this was not that long ago, we still have a ways to go and thank God there are individuals like the Freedom Riders who are willing to risk their life to get us there.

Definitely a great place to visit if you are into history. The staff were polite and helpful.read more

I really love seeing covered bridges and especially when they're in excellent condition and easy to…read moreaccess. This one is located just off I-20 west of Atlanta and it's a nice little drive. The bridge is in very good condition, completed in 1850 or so. It is the oldest existing covered bridge in all of Alabama! Originally located on Coldwater Creek and allegedly built by slaves, it was relocated to here and the original site now has a boring concrete and steel bridge. This bridge was fully restored in 1990 and is in excellent condition. The bridge is no longer open to vehiclular traffic but you can absolutely walk through it and think back to what it must have been to drive your horse-drawn wagon across this bridge. [Review 2281 of 2024 - 242 in Alabama - 23297 overall]

I've completely run out of historic covered bridges in Georgia, so I thought I'd spend a lazy…read moreSaturday afternoon amusing myself by driving around central Alabama. The first of my many stops was here in Oxford. Coldwater Covered Bridge was built in 1850 and is located at Oxford Lake Park just behind the Oxford Civic Center. It was relocated here in 1990 from its original location (about 8 miles west) and spans a small creek created by the overflow water from Oxford Lake. The bridge is 63-feet long and uses a hybrid combination of the Multiple King Post and Town Lattice truss systems. At 165 years of age, it is the oldest surviving covered bridge in the state of Alabama. It is also known as Hughes Mill Covered Bridge due to its proximity to Hughes Saw & Lumber Mill when it was first built. Although the bridge was severely damaged in 1920, repairs made it possible to keep the bridge functional for vehicular traffic. It was eventually replaced in 1974 by a concrete bridge, then totally restored before being relocated to its current home. The park and bridge can actually be seen from Interstate 20 and only takes you out of the way by a few minutes if you choose to stop here. Just take exit 185 for Hwy 21 (Oxford/Anniston) and go north to Recreation Road (currently there is a McDonald's on the corner). Follow it until you see the Civic Center and park on the lake side. Enjoy!

Very nice and interesting place. Historic Landmark with very cool architecture and even a nice…read moreplace to chill a little

I wish I could share more about this place, but unfortunately it was closed on Monday -- the only…read moreday we were in Birmingham. Since we couldn't go inside, I decided to walk across the nearby bridge to at least get a view from a distance. When it's closed, there really isn't a way to get much closer, so you're limited to exterior views only. From the photos and reviews others have posted, it looks like a really cool and educational spot, especially if you're interested in industrial history. It seems like the tours give you a great glimpse into what factory life looked like back when it was one of the biggest steel suppliers in the U.S. Knowing it operated for around 90 years before shutting down in 1971 makes it even more fascinating. Even though I didn't get the full experience, the scale of the structures and the history behind the site were still impressive from afar. I'd definitely plan to return on a day they're open to properly explore it -- it looks like a unique and worthwhile stop if you're in town.

A little off the beaten path, but a worthy stop on our vacation journey…read more Upon crossing the bridge and parking, we were greeted by a kind gentleman who had a table set up (selling shirts, books, etc). He introduced himself (I forget his name) and told the story of Bloody Sunday and his family ties to that event. That kicked into a meaningful conversation, which I am thankful for. We then walked the bridge, which was a heavy moment for us (as midwesterners who are mostly sheltered from this sort of history). Upon returning to our car, we struck up some more conversation, and got to meet "Mr. Smith". I didn't understand much of what he said, but I could feel the history in this man. He had a been a saxophone player, and had been around quite some time. He was a genuine spirit, and I am glad to have met him. We left some money on the table, and went on our way.

We visited and crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, AL on Jan 9, 2026 as part of Road…read moreScholar's "The Civil Rights Movement - Atlanta, Montgomery, Selma, Birmingham" program. The experience would be perfect if it wasn't raining that day. But we made the best of it. First, we gathered at Songs of Selma for a group photo. Then we took the walkway next to it to cross the bridge. I went across the road to the walkway on the opposite side to better capture the group as they were crossing. I'd have gotten more footage if I wasn't also holding an umbrella over my head at the same time. That wasn't fun. The crossing ended at the Civil Rights Memorial Park, south of the Alabama River. In all, the crossing took 6 minutes. Footage of the crossing is in the video "Day 6: Crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge" on my YouTube channel, in playlist "2026-1: The Civil Rights Movement - Atlanta, Montgomery, Selma, Birmingham". Also on my playlist is the video "Selma Bridge Experience 01.09.2026", posted by our tour guide of the same crossing. If opportunity presents itself in the future, I'd like to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge again... when it isn't raining.

This may be one of the oddest bridge location I've ever run across. You will find it along a garden…read morewalking path crossing a small gully with a stream no wider than 1 foot. The path is behind a church with multiple buildings that make it feel a lot like a 19th Century religious compound (not implying that it is). Prior to coming here I actually thought this was one of the last remaining historic bridges in the state of Georgia, but it turns out it was built in the 90's. The path allows you to wander through a variety of memorial trees and vegetation that I can only assume were planted in memory of church member loved ones. Most everything has a small plaque with the name of the person whom it was planted for (or by). The bridge itself is a real beauty and is said to have made use of 100 year old timbers from another old 1800's bridge that was once nearby. It certainly is one of the most handsome covered bridges in the state, even if it isn't a historic one. Location: Shiloh United Methodist Church Built: 1994 Length: 42 feet Crosses over: essentially what would be considered a drainage ditch. FINAL THOUGHTS You don't actually have to park in the church parking lot and walk the trail to see this bridge. Turn South on Davenport Mill Road and the bridge is less than 100 feet from the road and easily visible. My Georgia covered bridge list is nearly complete. I've provided a list below of all the covered bridges I've visited so far in the state from the furthest north to the deepest south. I've also included the year they were built: Stovall Mill ~ 1895 [furthest north] Blind Susie ~ 1915 [shortest] Poole's Mill ~ 1906 Cromer's Mill ~ 1906 Mashburn Estate ~ 1958 [private - no access to the public] Hurricane Shoals ~ 1882/2002 Euharlee ~ 1886 Roswell Vickery Creek ~ 2004 Watson Mill ~ 1885 [longest] Howard's Mill ~ 1905 Concord/Nickajack ~ 1872 Stone Mountain/Effie's ~ 1891 Elder's Mill ~ 1897 Shiloh Trail ~ 1994 [furthest west] Haralson Mill ~ 1997 Old Town Morrow ~ 2008 [newest] Big Red Oak Creek ~ 1840 [oldest] Calloway Gardens ~ 1870 Auchumpkee ~ 1892/1997 [favorite] Parrish Mill @ George L. Smith State Park ~ 1880 [furthest east] Coheelee Creek ~ 1891[furthest south] There are at least 25 more, but most are small, have been built in the last 50 years and are on private property.

Overall, me and my family enjoyed touring this educational attraction. The existing staff were…read morelovely and did their job well. I do have some notes though. There was a decent amount of outdoor walking required to go through the exhibits. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, I just recommend either bringing a drink or visiting when the weather is cooler. During the walk we encountered a friendly dragonfly, which made it worth it. The village seemed to be understaffed, because only half of the buildings had guides to show us around. For the deserted buildings, we had to guess what things did what. The place we assumed to be the woodcarvers shop looked like there would normally be a staff person there, but their station was empty. this concerned me because we had smaller children in our party, and some of the sharp carving tools were left on the tables. Other than that, staff that were present gave wonderful demonstrations of the profession they represented. Most notably, the weaver and the blacksmith. The weaver walked us through the whole process from the cleaning of cotton to sewing the final fabrics together into clothing. The blacksmith worked in a functional smithery and showed us how they created a metal hook using actual fire and metal tools.

Great place to go back in time. So much fun to explore. The people that work here make the…read moreexperience. It's easy to tell they love to teach and care about this place. You get to go back in time to see how the blacksmith and woodworker functioned, tour the old buildings and learn their stories. It's just a great time.

I noticed it hasn't been updated in a while. The Waldo Covered Bridge, along with the old mill, is…read morelocated on private property as of 2022 and it can not be accessed without trespassing.

Waldo Covered Bridge (also known as the Riddle Mill Covered Bridge) was built in 1858 in what is…read morenow the Talladega National Forest. It isn't hard to find, but does require a little effort. Located out of view behind Old Mill restaurant just off Rt. 77, you can reach it by following the restaurant driveway (which used to be the main road towards the bridge) to the parking area. The bridge will come into view the further you go back and believe me when I tell you it has seen better days. Quite frankly it appears to be in covered bridge hospice. While efforts have been made to renovate the bridge, it remains in a state of limbo since being condemned in the 1960's and sits inaccessible to the public without its approaches (ramps on each side that connect the bridge to the road). It is the second oldest surviving historic bridge in Alabama, but is in desperate need of maintenance and repair. You can visibly see the frame beginning to lean and looks as if a stiff wind would knock it completely over. Would be a shame to loose this 157 year old treasure, especially considering she stands in her original location. Nearby is the Helen Keller Campus for the blind & def and the City of Talledega, home of Will Ferrell's character Ricky Bobby: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXmD6qdDCDE Total length - 115 feet FINAL THOUGHTS If something isn't done immediately these may be the last pics you will see of this ancient relic before her demise. A heavy snow storm might be more weight than this bridge can take on her weakened frame before crashing into the river below. Saddens me to think that something which has served so many has been abandoned and left to die as if it never had any importance at all.

We often visit during the day but decided to make a couple of camping trips. It had decent…read morefacilities, the bathhouses are ran down but usable. If you are looking for a darker campground, this is absolutely not the place. They have so many white lights throughout the campground at night it is blinding. I would recommend buying completely blackout curtains and hoping they darken the lights some.

We come here very often as it is a great place to get some exercise and we can bring our dog. We…read morerecently visited on a Trade Day weekend and it was fun but extremely crowded. It states on their website and on various signs around the park to not bring your dogs in to the trade day area but I noticed a couple of people were walking theirs around. I plan to follow up with them to get some clarification. Overall, this makes for a fun day and it is really cool to see all of the old mills.

Saturday, March 8th, Tony and I visited the John Wesley Hall Grist Mill at Tannehill State Park…read more OMG..it was so pretty there. I just loved the water, it was so clear. reminded me when i was a small kid and used to play in the water at my grandma's house. I wish there were some blooming flowers there, it would have been so beautiful. The mill itself was closed, but we were able to walk around it and check it out. If you go to the park be sure to check it out.

This memorial is located on the outside of the Legacy Museum in a small plaza. It is located behind…read morewhere the shuttle picks up to take visitors to the memorial park. This is a very nice memorial that is intended to honor the thousands of Black people lynched in the years immediately following emancipation, whose names may never be known. The memorial has bench seating on its permitter and features a fountain that lists 560 names of lynching victims, a small representation of the thousands killed between 1865 and 1876. You will find sculptures of 3 African heads of different ages coming out from the center of the water fountain. They are very detailed and almost look real. I can feel their pain. At the end of the fountain you will see a wall that reads a follow: "May we never forget all those who suffered and died because they asserted their basic human right to be free". It is very somber memorial and is respectfully done. It educated me as well. I really did not think about the mass lynchings that were conducted post emancipation by white mobs. The fact that everyone was not happy and did not approve of emancipation is commonly overlooked. Many of those people resorted to violence to express their disapproval and maintain supremacy. I like this mural. It is a one of a kind and honors a somewhat forgotten group. The fountain/water table, sculptures and wall and masterfully done and look awesome. You just have to see it for yourself. Anyway, as with most memorials that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 10 minutes. More than likely you will stop here while visiting the Legacy Museum, but if not, you should at least make this part of a larger itinerary.

As an artist and art educator I appreciate a well designed and curated museum and this one is…read moreperhaps one of the best I've ever been in. Really powerful stuff here, I think every adult in America needs to experience it. I would caution that I think it would take a well prepared and mature child to visit here, it really drives home America's ugly racial past.