Natural Bridge in Winston County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)

Byler Road
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History of Natural Bridge

Byler Road Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Hilton, July 19, 2020

1. Byler Road Marker

Inscription.
Byler Road Byler Road, which passes through Natural Bridge, was Alabama's first state road. Governor W.W. Bibb signed into law a bill authorizing its construction on December 16, 1819. The turnpike was named for John Byler, its chief promoter. Completed in 1822, the road ran from Tuscaloosa to near Muscle Shoals, linking the markets of the Tennessee Valley with the head of navigation of the Black Warrior River. After 1826, when Tuscaloosa became the state capital, It was "the Main Street of Northwest Alabama." Union General J.H. Wilson passed over the road in March 1865 with 13,480 cavalrymen (one the largest cavalry raids in world history) enroute to the Battle of Selma. While passing through this area, Wilson's troops divested all the local citizens of their worldly possessions.

History of Natural Bridge Prior to 1885, Natural Bridge was known as Larissa and later Lodi. When the railroad began, the name was changed to Natural Bridge. The town was incorporated first in 1914 with James A. Edmonds as mayor and again in 1997 with Farrah Tittle appointed mayor by the probate judge. In 2000, A. G. "Pete" Parrish became the first person elected mayor since the 1920s.

Erected 2010 by the Alabama Tourism Department and the Town of

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Natural Bridge.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Roads & Vehicles • Settlements & Settlers • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Alabama Tourism Department series list. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1865.

Location. 34° 5.339′ N, 87° 36.351′ W. Marker is in Natural Bridge, Alabama, in Winston County. It is on County Road 9 north of U.S. 278, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Natural Bridge AL 35577, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Alabama.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Free State of Winston / Natural Bridge (approx. 0.6 miles away); Whitehouse Cemetery Grounds (approx. 7.8 miles away); Haleyville Ice Company (approx. 9.3 miles away); First 9-1-1 Call (approx. 9½ miles away); The Honorable Frank Minis Johnson, Jr. (approx. 9½ miles away); City of Haleyville, Alabama (approx. 9½ miles away); Benjamin Wallace Roden, M.D. (approx. 9½ miles away); The Byler Road (approx. 9.6 miles away).

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.

Also see . . . The Byler Road Project (.pdf). (Submitted on July 20, 2020, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)

History of Natural Bridge Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Hilton, July 19, 2020

2. History of Natural Bridge Marker

The view north on CR-9. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Hilton, July 19, 2020

3. The view north on CR-9.

Looking south into Natural Bridge & US-278. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Hilton, July 19, 2020

4. Looking south into Natural Bridge & US-278.

Alabama's Historic Byler Road route. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Hilton, July 19, 2020

5. Alabama's Historic Byler Road route.

Natural Bridge image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jeff Leichsenring, July 1, 2025

6. Natural Bridge

Credits. This page was last revised on August 5, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 20, 2020, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 1,064 times since then and 87 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on July 20, 2020, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. 6. submitted on August 2, 2025, by Jeff Leichsenring of Garland, Texas.

Byler Road⎯⎯⎯History of Natural Bridge

Byler Road
⎯⎯⎯
History of Natural Bridge