FIRST ANNUAL ‘BRIDGE DAY WALK’ IN LOUISA, KY AND FORT GAY, WV.

Click pic for short video

By Susan Salyer

On Monday June 27, 2022 from 6-7PM the LC Tourism Commission Chairman, Wes Kingsmore planned a Pop-Up walk for the evening celebrating The 1st Bridge Day in Louisa, KY and Fort Gay, WV area by calling a meeting at the Fred M. Vinson Museum and taking a brief walk from Louisa to Fort Gay to commemorate our bridge being built this day in 1906.

The Louisa – Fort Gay Bridge officially opened at 4PM on June 27, 1906. The bridge connects 2 rivers (Levisa and Tug), two states (Kentucky and West Virginia), two counties (Lawrence County, KY and Wayne County, WV), two towns (Louisa, KY and Fort Gay, WV), with three exits/entrances. A turn in the center of the bridge connects to a land mass in Louisa known as ‘The Point Section’ causing locals to enjoy giving visitors directions to “go to the middle of the bridge and turn right.”(chuckles)

Celebrating 1st Annual Bridge Day with Fort Gay Mayor Joetta Hatfield. (center in black), Sheila Preston Bowen, Louisa FB pastor Chuck Price, county clerk Chris Jobe, resident Shila Boyd Pack, resident Betty Burns See. Lazer photo by Susan Salyer

When the group of about forty walked across the bridge to Fort Gay WV, the Mayor of Fort Gay, WV, Joetta Hatfield talked about the building in town that used to be called ‘Bens Friendly Inn’ that has now been purchased by the city of Fort Gay, WV and will be turned into a maintenance building for the town because of its location to the water company.

Once the group walked across the bridge and back to Louisa, Kentucky, there was a short rest while the LC Tourism Members displayed an old copy of the Louisa/Fort Gay Bridge ideas back before 1906 when the Bridge was built and opened. (The map shown in the video didn’t have a date.)

LC Tourism President Wes Kingsmore organized the ‘pop up’ event in short order yesterday. Lazer photo by Susan Salyer

Some in the group continued walking through streets of Louisa making their way to the “Needle Dam and Locks” built originally in 1896, beside the Louisa Swimming Pool and back through downtown Louisa, to the Fred M Vinson Museum. It was a beautiful evening to enjoy in Louisa – Fort Gay area.

Kingsmore stated that there may be other pop-up activities in the future planned for Lawrence County, Kentucky so stay up to date by using the website for Tourism Committee at visitlcky.com