Bridge No: 2670061600100

Asset ID: 687

County: Horry

Bridge Name: Old Socastee Swing Span

Facility Carried: S-26-616 (Old SC 544)

Feature Intersected: Intercoastal Waterway

Year Built: 1934-1935

Year Reconstructed:

Main Structure Type: Swing Span

Design: Warren thru truss, rigid joints

Main Material: Steel

Railing Type:

Number of Main Spans: 1

Number of Approach Spans: 2

Approach Type: T Beam, reinforced concrete

Structure Length: 297 feet

Structure Width: 28 feet

Setting: The bridge carries a 2-lane road and sidewalk over the Intracoastal Waterway at the village of Socastee.The bridge is in the Socastee HD (NR 2002) that includes as contributing resources the bridge, two houses, a store, and a pecan grove.The buildings and pecan grove are at the bridge's northwestern quadrant.Socastee had its origins in the 1870s and 1880s as a lumber and turpentine camp, and by the early 1900s had become a small crossroads village with general store that supplied consumer goods and credit to local low country residents.The historic district has a period of significance of 1881 to 1936.

The bridge has a 217'-long swing span with thru truss superstructure and two T beam approach spans.According to the bridge inspection file, the pier, bearings, approach spans, and portal bracing of the thru-truss swing span were being replaced in Aug. 2004.There is a sidewalk cantilevered off one elevation.

The 1934-35 swing span bridge is a listed contributing resource in the Socastee HD (NR 2002).The swing span bridge is the one of the two oldest of seven identified swing span highway bridges dating from 1929 to 1960 in the inventory.Although a relatively late example of a technology that was developed nationally in the late 19th century, it appears to be one of the few remaining and oldest examples in SC of the inherently complex movable bridge technology.There was not enough information in the bridge inspection file (no current photos/descriptions) to make a thorough assessment of the effect of any recent alterations on integrity.

The bridge underwent rehabilitation work in 2004. The rehab included electrical, mechanical, structural and safety design changes. While the majority of the work consisted of minor repairs to replace corroding and deteriorating elements, it also included the removal of original control house and its replacement with a new one. Consultation with the South Carolina State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) concluded that the replacement of the control house would have an adverse effect on the historic bridge. The mitigation of this adverse effect included thorough documentation of the existing control house prior to demolition and the collaboration with SHPO on the final design plans for new control house so it would retain the same design features of the original.