Near Currie in Pender County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Widow Moores' Bridge
| | Moores Creek National Battlefield | |
Courtesy of Thomas P. Martin, April 24, 2017
1. Widow Moores' Bridge Marker
All bridges over deep or navigable Streams shall be made at least Twelve Feet Wide, with good sawed Plank, Clear of sap, at least two inches thick with firm and strong posts, Rails and Bearers, well secured and fastened. 1764 North Carolina lawLook across the swamp to Moores Creek Bridge, locally referred to in 1776 as Widow Moores' Bridge. While we may never know exactly what it looked like, some 18th-century documents, like the 1764 law quoted at left, help shed light on bridge construction. Back then most bridges were built of cypress or heart of pine. Builders were required to construct "good and lawful" bridges "passable for carts and waggons."
From a reference to Negro Head Point Road, we know a bridge stood here since 1743. It crossed Moores Creek, connecting Mt. Misery near Wilmington to Cross Creek (now Fayetteville)
As you continue along the trail, you will re-join Negro Head Point Road and cross the bridge, tracing the footsteps of Patriots and Loyalists.
A Bridge Through Time The appearance of Moores Creek Bridge has changed over time. Colonial wood bridges lasted about 10 years. Moores Creek Bridge may have been replaced as many as 10 times between 1743 and 1851. The four views shown below are all from the causeway at Negro
this page online
Late 1930s War Department bridge, bearers only
1947 concrete abutments
1991 no bridge
Reenactor giving a program on the 1993 cypress bridge (bearers only). A 1999 hurricane destroyed the bridge.
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & Viaducts • Colonial Era • War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical year for this entry is 1743.
Location. 34° 27.565′ N, 78° 6.809′ W. Marker is near Currie, North Carolina, in Pender County. It can be reached from Moores Creek Drive 0.2 miles west of North Carolina Route 210. Marker is on the Moores Creek National Battlefield History Trail. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Currie NC 28435, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Tidewater. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, 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 original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A Trap is Set (within shouting distance of this marker); Stunning Defeat (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Wisely Chosen Ground (about 500 feet away); Old Wilmington and Fayetteville Stage Road (about 500 feet away); Decisive Victory (about 500 feet away); A Very Bad Swamp ... (about 500 feet away); Aftermath of Moores Creek (about 600 feet away); Road to the Sea (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Currie.
Photographed by Dave W, June 17, 2023
2. Widow Moores' Bridge Marker
Shown here on the boardwalk with the (rebuilt) bridge in the distance.
Courtesy of Thomas P. Martin, April 24, 2017
3. Replica Moores Creek Bridge
Credits. This page was last revised on June 24, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 19, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 321 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on March 19, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2. submitted on June 23, 2023, by Dave W of Co, Colorado. 3. submitted on March 19, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
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