Steel Bridge / “Old Bridge”

Come stand on the old steel bridge linking McCaysville and Copperhill today, and you might assume it has always connected these two towns at this very spot. The riveted trusses, the weathered beams, and the steady hum of footsteps beneath your feet all feel firmly rooted in place, as if the bridge has watched over this stretch of river for generations.

But here’s the remarkable truth: this bridge is more than a century old. Long before it spanned the state line here, it served elsewhere, carefully dismantled, transported, and reassembled in late 1936 to become the crossing you see today. What feels permanent is actually a piece of history that traveled, carrying its past with it before becoming part of this unique border town story.