I was stunned to learn a captivating piece of history this morning while doing some research around the Peter Guice Memorial Bridge (which connects a section of I-26 in the Green River Gorge area of WNC). I’m not really sure why this bridge has captured my attention in such an extraordinary way..and yet even as I write this...I’ll acknowledge much of the reason has to do with the fact that I’ve kayaked under it dozens and dozens of times while guiding inflatable whitewater kayaking trips down the Upper section of the Green River.
If you will, let me explain the significance of this bridge. Originally called the Green River Bridge, I’ve found conflicting statements regarding when its construction was completed. From what I’ve read it appears to have taken five years to build. (1967-1972) This bridge connects both sides of I-26 as it crosses over the Green River between Saluda and East Flat Rock, NC. (Note here, that the construction of I-26 and all the parts...like this bridge was a VERY big deal for transportation, economic impact and so many other things.)
It’s also significant to note that this is the exact location that Peter Guice built the first wooden bridge across the Green around 1820. His son and then grandson took up the task of maintaining the bridge. (In the spirit of “why is this a big deal?” as I’ve said to myself too… “so what...it’s a bridge” it’s important to note that the way of travel back then was Indian footpaths and trails and this one was called “Howard’s Gap.” And this path crossed the Green in this particular spot because this was the “way across.” This was the ford used to get across the river until Guice built a toll bridge there.
So here’s where it got interesting for me today. Get ready!
According to an article written by Terry Ruscin and published in the Gaston Gazette dated September 8th, 2019, Peter Guice’s grandson Joseph “Joe” Ripley Guice replaced the bridge that was destroyed in the 1916 flood.
Let me say that again, the bridge that connected the banks over the Green River maintained by the Guice family was WASHED AWAY in the flood of 1916!
Here’s why this is significant to today. The damage and destruction created by Tropical Storm Helene in Western North Carolina almost exactly one month ago (Sept 26th, 2024) has been compared over and over to the great flood of 1916.
Except. it’s worthy to note this VERY significant difference. The bridge that crossed the Green River in 1916 washed away. The bridge that crossed the Green River is 1924 did not. And thank GOD!
The Peter Guice Memorial bridge is the tallest bridge in the State of North Carolina standing 225 feet high. I don’t know if I can paint a real picture as to the significance and value of this bridge brings to this region.
On the days and weeks following the disaster that Helene brought to our doorstep, the connection between Greenville, SC and areas in and around Asheville, NC was traversed here using I-26 and the critical infrastructure such as the Peter Guice Memorial Bridge to gather and distribute much needed supplies such as food, fuel and water to name a few.
While thankfully this bridge wasn’t one of the hundreds of bridges in Western North Carolina that were compromised as a result of Helene flooding, the realization as to why bridges matter has been hit home to me over and over again.
A bridge creates short-cuts and in some cases, access at all. What likely took maybe one hour or two hours to traverse around, the bridge shortened travel times or created the one way in and one way out access. So now if a bridge is suddenly impassable or gone altogether well...you see where this is going.
Bridges matter! And maybe this was in fact why I would gaze up at the Peter Guice Memorial Bridge every time I went under it while kayaking on the Green River.
It’s two hundred and twenty feet high!! It’s HUGE! What a feet to build this impressive structure. What a feet. And thank god for bridges like this one...that withstood the pressure and stress of the ENORMOUS amount of water that raged down the Green River that day, just one month ago.
Photo Credit: https://www.historicsaluda.org/vintage-postcards/
If you’d like to learn more about the flood of 1916 check out:
https://saveculture.org/elder-wisdom-oral-history-archive/
(click on “Floods and Freshets”)
If you’d like to read the article published in the Gaston Gazette check out:
https://www.gastongazette.com/story/lifestyle/2019/09/08/beyond-banks-traversing-our-waterways/3465103007/
(scroll down to the section titled “Peter Guice Bridge’)
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