Have you taken a stroll, biked, or simply relaxed along the Pitt Street Bridge in Mount Pleasant? Of course, Charleston + surrounding areas are known for their historical background and this bridge definitely has history.
Many people have seen the historical marker that greets visitors at the bridge that reads, “Cove Inlet: Before the Revolutionary War, a plank bridge built on barrels was constructed across the inlet separating Mount Pleasant from Sullivan’s Island. In 1864, the H.L. Hunley crew crossed the footbridge on the way to Breach Inlet to test dive the submarine. A trolley bridge spanned the cove in 1898 and was replaced by a vehicle bridge in 1927 known as Pitt Street Bridge.”
We thought it would be interesting to discover what makes this area so unique, given its significance in the 1800-1900s. Here are some facts that we learned about the Pitt Street Bridge 🌁
➡️ During the majority of the 19th century, people relied on boating as a way to get on + off Sullivan’s Island.
➡️ Gadsden’s Bridge, which was the first bridge that crossed the area between the mainland + Sullivan’s Island, was a mile long, 18 feet wide and built with sheets of iron to help support the weight of troops, horses + cannons.
➡️ At one point in history, Pitt Street Bridge was the only way to travel from Mount Pleasant to Sullivan’s Island + Isle of Palms.
➡️ It was originally called the Cove Inlet Bridge.
➡️ It operated as a trolley bridge from 1898 to 1927.
➡️ Once the Ben Sawyer Bridge was officially open in 1945, traffic was no longer allowed to pass through the Pitt Street Bridge.
➡️ In 1950 the owners of the bridge, which was Charleston County, deeded it to Mount Pleasant.
➡️ A large amount of the old bridge burned after it was transformed into a fishing pier. There is a portion that still exists today.
➡️ A marker officially designates the bridge area as Pickett Bridge Recreation Area.
➡️ Now, people frequent this area to relax in nature and we’ve even seen through social media quite a few proposals take place in this historical area.
Here’s a black and white photo showing the road approaching the Pitt Street Bridge that once spanned Cove Inlet. Read more about the former trolley service here. More pictures + facts about the Pitt Street Bridge can be found here. The bridge has a long history that is further detailed in this article.