Bridgeport, Alabama
Bridgeport, AL on mile 410 of the Tennessee RiverLine has always embraced the river as a central part of its identity, just as its name suggests. This means it has long served as a great place for travelers to stop, and there is plenty to see and do to experience its small-town southern charm.
Attractions
For people who like to get close to history, Bridgeport is a premier stop along the Tennessee RiverLine.
Evidence suggests there have been people in the area for more than 10,000 years, and you can get up close and personal with artifacts from every major period of southeastern prehistory at Russell Cave National Monument. The cave’s conditions were perfect as a living or storage space thousands of years ago, which also made it a fitting preservation chamber for the artifacts left inside. To ensure the history within is protected, people aren’t allowed to enter the cave, but the observation deck just outside offers a great vantage point. It also makes for a nice birding spot, as Montague Mountain is home to 115 species of birds.
The two walking trails that lead to the cave (one strenuous, one more leisurely) are a peaceful way to engage with nature and walk the same grounds that people traversed long before European explorers were searching for a New World.
But search they did, and they–along with American settlers later on–found Bridgeport to be an advantageous crossroads for exchanging goods. Bridgeport became a railroad town in the 1850s, which turned it into a key strategic point during the Civil War.
The town’s allegiance changed hands several times throughout the war, and it was the target of multiple bridge burnings and raids. This history is preserved and celebrated at the Bridgeport Depot Museum and Cultural Center, which is home to artifacts, information and records from throughout Bridgeport’s storied history. Even the building itself is historic, as it is a shining example of Mission Revival era architecture (built in 1917) and earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.
Not only do the artifacts within show off the railroad history of Bridgeport, but an engine and caboose just outside its doors are sure to be a hit with the entire family.
Bridgeport’s other architectural attraction comes in the form of a row of Queen Anne style homes built in the late 1800s. Nicknamed “Kilpatrick Row” after an entrepreneur who brought new industry to Bridgeport after the Civil War, these elegant homes are a must-see for fans of Victorian architecture.
Bites and Bikes
Just up the road is a good stop for a southern-style meal, Charlie B’s Grill. With daily specials from chicken casserole, to country steak, to smoked pork chops, you are sure to get your money’s worth no matter what’s on the menu for the day. Nearby Old Tymers Bar & Grill is a family-owned spot serving typical American fare–including its popular burgers–that’s best paired with a cold beverage.
If you find yourself in Bridgeport on the third Saturday of September, the town will be much noisier than normal, but with good cause. The Trail of Tears Motorcycle Ride takes off from Bridgeport annually as it heads to Waterloo in northern Alabama to commemorate the people who lost their lives along the trail after being forcibly relocated from their homelands. The ride is officially recognized by the Alabama Indian Affairs Commision and once captured the title of the world’s largest organized motorcycle ride.
Bridgeport’s unique history and its outstanding ability to memorialize and preserve it make it a worthwhile stop on the Tennessee RiverLine. Its proximity to the river and the nature along its banks has been attractive for over 10,000 years, and its appeal has only grown with the development of this southern gem.