The photographer was George M. Weister, who took many, many of the old historic photos. He had a man named Arthur Prentiss that worked for him, who eventually teamed up with another photographer. In the end Arthur Prentiss acquired Weister's studio and all his negatives.

No way that a log could have been placed there for effect.

Would be interesting to know who is in the wagon going across. I can just vision them pulling up the otherside towards Odell, unless they went up along the river towards Dee.

Those bridge abutments are rather interesting.

charlott on 26th June 2014 @ 7:09am

Could the "Walk Over" sign mean that the horses shouldn't be galloped across the bridge?

Buzz on 26th June 2014 @ 7:32am

I think they are on their way to church!

Kate on 26th June 2014 @ 8:13am

charlott, I meant to suggest that the photographer and the carriage waited for a log to come along, not that it was placed there! Though it would be a good trick to anchor a log against the river current. You must admit it is a very photogenic log.

Arthur on 26th June 2014 @ 9:59am

Site and approach road still discernible on both sides of the river.

Kenn on 26th June 2014 @ 10:46am

Have heard logs called a lot of things in my life, generally of a derogatory nature accompanied by a swear word, but never photogenic.

Buzz on 26th June 2014 @ 10:54am

Although the site is still discernible, could not find the log, apparently did not drive fast enough.

Kenn on 26th June 2014 @ 11:07am

Quite a few people in that wagon- almost a surrey (but no top). I would agree that they are all going somewhere and church is a good guess. I think the "walk over" sign is for the horses, yes. A gallop over would cause a lot of noise and could possibly frighten other horses going in the other direction. There is a bridge in Tryon Creek State Park on the horse trails over a small stream that says the same thing in effect— "Walk your horses". The horses in this photograph are at a standstill, lending credence to Arthurs observation they waited for that log to make it's way downstream. My dad would have gotten a big kick out of the description "photogenic" as well - he was in the sawmill machinery business and to him, logs only represented board feet.It *is* a good looking log!

Jill on 26th June 2014 @ 2:24pm

Jill, I think there is top on that surrey. Isn't it lined up with that top bridge stringer? Arthur can probably tell with his high resolution thing. He will probably think the stringer is photogenic too!

Buzz on 26th June 2014 @ 2:56pm

As weight moves across a bridge, the bridge deck flexes, and moves with the force (gravity and speed) much like a wave. That's why the HR Bridge is posted 25, and they're quite serious about vehicles, especially large ones, staying at the speed limit. The increased speed is really hard on the bridge, increasing the wave and moment and affecting every connection as it travels. And they've known that for many hundreds of years.

spinsur on 26th June 2014 @ 3:20pm

LOL Buzz - yes, I can see the top on the surrey now (I had to get a magnifying glass ).

Jill on 26th June 2014 @ 3:25pm

Spinsur, we used to build log bridges out of 5-6 foot spruce logs. When those big off-highway log trucks roared across them they really bounced. After 6-7 years they would start to lose their bounce and we had to replace them. Also saw a few bridges go down with heavy equipment on them. Also built some ice bridges. We used to figure 4 ft. of ice would hold a D-8 cat. But we drove across them real slow.

Buzz on 26th June 2014 @ 4:01pm

I'll avoid adjectives and stick to facts: yes, there is a top to that carriage. There are at least 9 people in it, including 1 child. There are at least 3 horses in the team. There are two more signs on the bridge, but unfortunately they are not in focus. They look like they may be advertising.

Can't wait to see what you all think of tomorrow's post...

Arthur on 26th June 2014 @ 6:46pm

Are they traveling from the north to the south?
Maybe they are tourists headed up to Cloud Cap. Would they have gone this way?

l.e. on 27th June 2014 @ 6:52am

Yes, they would have gone that route up to Parkdale and then Cloud Cap. But the problem is in that wagon they wouldn't have made it up the old Cloud Cap Road. I think if they were going up there you would see some sort of baggage with them.

Charlott on 27th June 2014 @ 7:15am