Today, Black ... bridge was a relatively new truss design; it was patented in 1840. Early on, it was a bridge type that thrived because of its heavy use of timber and minimal use of iron.

NEW LEXINGTON | In 1896 the 38,000-pound, Espey cast iron bridge ... chairman of the 1882 bridge committee. Members have fought to get the historic structure back to the Black Warrior Riverfront ...

Willis was the first person to realize that the bridge was part of the original iron span that crossed the Black Warrior River. The Alabama Historical Commission registered the Espey Bridge as a ...