Bay Springs Bridge, Spanning Mackey's Creek, Dennis, Tishomingo County, MS

See HAER No. MS-11 for more information on bridge development in the region.
Significance: The Bay Springs Bridge is a pin-connected half hip Pratt pony truss fabricated by the Champion Bridge Company of Willmington Ohio. Founded in the 1870's, the Champion Bridge Company fabricated numerous bridges throughout the eastern United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Bay Springs Bridge is a representative example of many small spans built by the firm in the south and utilizes the "American System" of pin-connections. The community of Bay Springs began in the 1840's following the establishment of a grist mill on Mackeys Creek by the Gresham family. In the 1850's a saw mill and a cotton spinning mill supplemented the grist mill and it is believed a wooden bridge was built across the creek at this time. In the 1890's a fire destroyed the industrial buildings in the community and they were never rebuilt. Shortly following World War I the 19th century wooden trestle and Queen post truss bridge was replaced by the present structure. This bridge served the area until the 1950's, when its deck was removed and a new bridge was built several hundred feet upstream.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: FN-1; FN-2
Survey number: HAER MS-3
Building/structure dates: ca. 1920 Initial Construction