Overview
The bridge over the Tennessee River was the final link needed to complete the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville Railroad between Memphis and Louisville. Construction proved difficult, with floods, accidents, and the rebuilding of bridge piers delaying completion. Although trains began operating over portions of the railroad in 1861, passengers initially crossed the Tennessee River by ferry while work continued. The bridge was finally completed in November 1861, allowing uninterrupted rail travel across the entire route. Its completion marked the culmination of nearly a decade of planning and construction, creating one of the South’s most important transportation corridors on the eve of the Civil War.
Quick Facts
- Status
- Demolished
- Community
- Danville
- County
- Benton County and Houston County
- State or province
- Tennessee
- Country
- United States of America
- Coordinates
- 36.30147663659257, -87.95161315574593
- Closed, demolished or abandoned
- Closed