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There is a fee for crossing this bridge too fast.  Why is that?

It’s a small, two-lane covered foot bridge only large enough for pedestrians to cross a small creek below.   My great uncle, who I believe took the photo, must have chuckled at the warning/reward on the bridge, which says:

Burned 1863

Rebuilt 1873

$5.00 fine for going faster

than a walk over the bridge

Half of this amount to Informer

Old Greenbrier Bridge

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

In the background are hills and it looks like some small buildings that attached to one another in a single file fashion.  The windows have what appear to be small awnings over them.  At first I thought that the buildings were train cars but I don’t think they are.  On the other side of the bridge are tall flowers or grasses with a pathway that leads to what looks like a bird bath.

Each time I see this photo I wonder about the story behind it.  Will the hills, tall grass, flowers and bird bath help pedestrians keep a slow pace or make them rush?  Is it money trap?  Are there trolls waiting under the bridge and are they eager to snitch to get half the reward?

I don’t know where this bridge is or if it is still standing.  It may be in the Carroll County, Virginia area since that was where most of my great uncle’s photographs were taken just prior to his leaving to go oversees during WWII.  I remember asking my grandmother about the photo but all she said was “it was George’s.”

If anyone has information on where this may be, I’d like to hear from you.