1903+1950s+1964,1994 US-19 Hughes Bridges over Gauley River in Summersville, WV

(Bridge Hunter broke Mar 22, 2023; no Historic Bridges; B&T; Satellite)

This is another bridge that had to be built across a valley because a dam flooded the valley.

1 of 5 photos posted by Bridges & Tunnels, reddit

Before the graceful Warren deck trusses that carries US Route 19 and Corridor L over the Gauley River and Summersville Lake near Summersville, West Virginia, there was Hughes Ferry.

Hughes Ferry was the first ferry to operate across the Gauley within Nicholas County, connecting Summersville with the James River & Kanawha Turnpike, Gauley Bridge, Fayetteville, and Lewisburg via the Wilderness Road. The ferry service ended when a bridge was built across the river in 1903.

The Summersville Reservoir had been approved under the Flood Control Act of 1938 to control and prevent flooding in the Gauley and Kanawha River watersheds, but no work was undertaken on the project because of World War II and the Korean Wars. Meanwhile, discussions about replacing the antiquated bridge at Hughes Ferry began as early as 1941. Eventually, a replacement concrete and steel bridge was built around 1950. In 1957, the Army Corps of Engineers settled a location for the dam for the Summersville Reservoir, which would submerge the new Hughes Ferry Bridge.

In February 1960, the construction of Summersville Lake. This required rerouting US Route 19 and WV Route 41 between Mt. Nebo and Summersville with 4.5 miles of a new two-lane highway and a Warren deck truss bridge over the Gauley River. It was opened to traffic following a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 1, 1964. It was dualized with a parallel bridge in 1991-94.

Read more about the fascinating history of this bridge http://bridgestunnels.com/location/hughes-bridge/

"Hughes Bridge, Summersville, WV Taking traffic across the Summersville Lake, the Hughes Bridge gets its name from a historic bridge that once crossed the Gauley River. The views are so spectacular around the bridge that area explorers have stashed many geocaches in the area to encourage you to stop and take a moment to look around and seek them out." [OfficialBridgeDay, lists some other bridges in the area]

Dennis DeBruler commented on B&T's post
Note how twisty and turning the road was south of the bridge. That is because it climbs out of the valley to go along the ridge of the mountain. Now the road just jumps over the Gauley River gorge.
1916 Winona Quad @ 62,500