Humpback Bridge, Virginia’s oldest standing covered bridge, is part of a wayside on Route 60, Alleghany County just west of Covington. It was built in 1857 as part of the James River & Kanawha Turnpike (JR&KT). It succeeds three other bridges at the site. Humpback Bridge stretches over Dunlap Creek, which is a tributary of the Jackson River that joins the Cowpasture River near Iron Gate to form the James River. The first structure was built in the 1820s and was washed away be a flood on May 12, 1837. The second bridge fell victim to the flood of July 13, 1842 and the third bridge, as the annual report of the JR&KT company put it, simply “gave way” in 1856.

This 100-foot-long, single-span structure is four feet higher at its center than it is at either end, thus the name, “Humpback.” Traffic across the bridge ceased in 1929, when it was replaced with a ‘modern’ steel truss bridge. It stood derelict, and even was used by a nearby farmer to store hay, until 1954. That year, thanks to the fund-raising efforts of the Business Professional Women’s Club of Covington and the Covington Chamber of Commerce, it was restored and preserved as part of Alleghany County’s history.

Directions

Humpback Bridge can be reached from I64 by taking Exit #10 to Route 60 and traveling one-half mile east or by taking Route 60 West from Covington.

For more information, contact:

Office of Public Affairs
Virginia Department of Transportation
1401 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
804-786-2802

Gordon selected Fort Stedman, an earthen redoubt with a moat and nine-foot walls. Although imposing, Gordon believed it offered the greatest chance for success since it was located just 150 yards from the Confederate lines – the narrowest gap along the entire front. Lee amassed nearly half of his army in an attempt to break through Grant’s Petersburg defenses and threaten his supply depot at City Point. At 4:00 a.m. on the morning of March 25th, 11,000 Rebels overpowered Fort Stedman’s garrisons and Batteries X, XI, and XII. The Confederates were brought under a killing crossfire, and counterattacks led by Maj. Gens. Parke and Hartranft contained the breakthrough, cut off, and captured more than 1,900 of the attackers. During the day, elements of the II and VI Corps assaulted and captured the entrenched picket lines in their respective fronts, which had been weakened for the assault on Fort Stedman. The Rebels were unable to hold the captured ground, and they were driven back to their original position.

The attack eventually failed, and within a week Lee evacuated his positions around Petersburg. The Union lost 1,000 men killed, wounded, and captured, while the Lee lost probably three times that number, including 1,500 captured during the retreat. Already outnumbered, these loses were more than Lee’s army could bear. Lee wrote to Confederate President Jefferson Davis that it would be impossible to maintain the Petersburg line much longer.

On March 29, Grant began his offensive, and the Confederate Army feel at Five Forks on April 1, and Petersburg fell on April 2-3. Two weeks after the Battle of Fort Stedman, Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia on April 9, 1865.

IMAGE: O’Sullivan, Timothy H., 1840-1882, photographer. Interior of the Union Fort Stedman, Petersburgh, [sic], Va., showing bombproofs. This is a stereograph image created ca.1864-ca.1865, Call Number PR-065-811-44 at the Library of Congress.

In this clip, Tom Hanks, producer, talks about how the film was developed. Hanks stated, “We needed to be able to show how hard it was to be alive in the 1700s, and we needed to do it also in the confines of being a counterpoint to the stuff we all know about.”

The author, David McCullogh, obviously is delighted with the way the book was portrayed. McCullough states, “They were all young. We must remember that. Jefferson was 33 when he wrote the Declaration of Independence, Adams was all of 40. They’re all winging it, they’re improvising. That’s the wonder of it, that they did it.” (Get McCullough’s book, John Adams) at Amazon)

The clip shows scenes from the various segments within this series. John Adams is portrayed by Paul Giamatti, with Laura Linney as his wife, Abigail. I’ll add more clips and information over the next few weeks as the series develops, so stay tuned! Below are a few links that may help you with understanding the history behind this film.

• HBO John Adams Site – includes information about the actors, the background behind the series, teacher and student guides, clips and more.
• The Cult of Adams – interesting commentary from The Economist.
• John Adams Biography – the White House version of John Adams.
• John Adams – the Wikipedia version of John Adams, which is much more detailed than the White House version.

Almost half the collection is British based, dazzling dress uniforms of the British Dragoons, Hussars, and Lancers stand at attention next to bandsmen’s uniforms from each of the five regiments of foot guards of the Household Division, more commonly known as the Life Guards. You may recognize the “Beefeater” regalia on a 1936 Yeoman Warder’s uniform designed for the men who guard the Crown Jewels located in the Tower of London.

Visitors won’t be disappointed with the abundance of American military uniforms and paraphernalia gathered from all branches of the U.S. military. The museum carries a few Civil War items, including an original Union artilleryman’s jacket.

The collection was the lifelong work of one man – the late Ronald V. J. Mountain. Mr. Mountain died in 1996 at age 68, and his wife, Pat, continues to run the museum. She is a knowledgeable and enthusiastic steward for this collection, and she’s happy to answer your questions.

DIRECTIONS

Take exit #191, this will put you on I-64 for 1 mile. Take exit #55 off I-64. Follow Rt. 11 south. As you go over the Maury River Bridge Rt. 11 will split. Merge to the right (Rt. 11 Business). As you come into downtown Lexington Rt. 11 will turn into Jefferson Street. Follow Jefferson Street to the end where it meets White Street Turn left on White Street and then turn left on Main Street. The Military Memorabilia Museum is on the right.

From I-64, take exit #55. Follow Rt. 11 south. As you go over the Maury River Bridge, Rt. 11 will split. Merge to the right (Rt. 11 Business). As you come into downtown Lexington Rt. 11 will turn into Jefferson Street. Follow Jefferson Street to the end where it meets White Street. Turn left on White Street and then turn left on Main Street. The Military Memorabilia Museum is on the right.

The street address is 122 1/2 South Main Street, down the brick walkway next to the Lexington Presbyterian Church. Visit the Lexington Web page about this museum to learn more about hours and phone contact.

IMAGES

The image at top, from the London Daily Times, shows a line of Yeomen Warders in traditional uniform. The second smaller image, from the BBC News, shows a happy Queen Mother inspecting her Beefeaters. The Beefeaters date back to 1485 when King Henry VII formed a bodyguard. The news story for this link talked about the first female Yeoman Warder in history slated to join the troops. Read more about the 42-year-old Scottish woman who took her post in September 2007 as she wore the traditional dress of a scarlet and gold tunic, white ruff, red stockings and black patent leather shoes. The official title of a Yeoman Warder is, ‘Yeoman Warder of Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign’s Body Guard and Yeoman Guard Extraordinary’. Phew!