Those in wheelchairs or using walkers are easily accommodated.
Now even handicapped visitors have easy, safe access to the bridge.
A wider-than-normal concrete sidewalk, with curbing and protective metal fencing, extends for a distance equaling 10 car lengths, which provides a full view of the east side, center and west side of the bridge. Waters of Little Gap Creek and the bridge’s 15-foot-high Gothic arch are easily seen from the sidewalk. A number of giant boulders were placed on the bridge side of the road then filled in with dirt to provide a sturdy foundation for the lengthy sidewalk.
An aesthetically-pleasing, wooden stair with banisters leads down to the center of the bridge for those wishing to actually touch its fitted stones or walk the length of it. Two built-in benches are located at the top of the stair.
The parking area across the road from the bridge has been transformed from an unlevel, eroded wash area, where many vehicles would drag the ground, to a re-engineered, level expanse encompassing the entire length of the old roadbed on that side.
Ty Houck, director of greenways, natural and historic resources for the Greenville County Recreation District (GCRD), is in charge of the Poinsett Bridge Heritage Preserve, under a lease arrangement with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR). He works with Sean G. Taylor, archaeologist for the Heritage Trust Program.
In the next few months, work will begin on correcting of the erosion problem around the bridge. Numerous large stones from the south end of the bridge have worked loose and are slowly easing their way down to the creek.
Additional funds will have to be sought in order to make repairs to the bridge itself. But, for now the spectacular structure, which is in very good condition given the fact that it is more than 190 years old, is easily accessible to everyone.
Adopted from an article by Dean Campbell, the Squire of Dark Corner. This is from a series that appears in the News Leader newspaper in Landrum, SC chronicling the culture and history of "the Dark Corner of SC." Originally published on 1-11-12.
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