“the state's oldest bridge”
Poinsett Bridge is part of the 120 acre Poinsett Bridge Heritage Preserve and owned by the State of South Carolina. The Recreation District manages the preserve along with SCDNR. . Constructed in 1820, it is believed to be the oldest surviving bridge in the state. Named after Joel Poinsett, a prominent early resident of Greenville and a U.S. ambassador to Mexico, the bridge was part of the State Road that connected Charleston and Columbia with the North Carolina mountain communities into Tennessee. It is a 14 foot Gothic arch stone structure and stretches 130 feet over Little Gap Creek. Historians believe that is was designed by Robert Mills, architect of the Washington Monument.
This is a beautiful drive in the fall (late November), not far off the route from Greenville to Asheville. There is a small parking lot that can hold a few cars across the road. It's a secluded area, and I didn't see anyone else or even another car pass on the morning I was there.
Beautiful drive in the summer time. We enjoyed walking in the shallow creek and seeing the history of the area. Fully recommend this as a short stop to stretch legs and have a picnic.
Worth the stop
One of my favorite places to visit. The Camp Old Indian trails also loop in near the bridge so it’s a great spot for a hike or challenging trail run. I head over here often with my dog. Weekday evenings are the best as people are typically not there after 5 pm.
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Poinsett Bridge
Hours
- Sun - Fri: 9:00 am - 8:00 pm
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