Record #:

23712

Author(s):

Kammerer, Roger

Abstract:

The new high Grimesland Bridge takes motorists above the old bridge and over one of the most historic spots on the Tar River. The site of the bridge is where the English settled as early as 1714 known as “Mount Calvert.” It was here in the 1750’s that Edward Salter established a ferry across the Tar River and in 1764 that the Royal Post Road between Williamsburg, VA and Charleston, SC passed through Pitt County and crossed the river on Salter’s Ferry. Salter’s Ferry afterwards was known as “Watkin’s Ferry” and much later as “Boyd’s Ferry.” In 1892, there was a push to put a ferry at Yankee Hall. In 1914, a wooden drawbridge was built across the Tar River at Boyd’s Ferry. The draw was the former draw at Beaufort, NC and was brought up the river by barge. The wooden bridge was rebuilt in 1926. A new concrete bridge was built in 1953/54 about 1200 feet from the old wooden bridge. The new high bridge over the river was dedicated on March 30, 2011 in honor of L. Elmore Hodges and opened for traffic on Monday, May 14, 2011.

Source:

Greenville Times / Pitt's Past (NC Microforms), Vol. 31 Issue 1, Jan 2-Feb 6 2013, p6

Subject(s):

Grimesland--History; Bridges--Pitt County; Tar River--History--Bridges