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As we have written in our last two articles, a ferry occupied the spot where our Coleman Winston Bridge is located.

James Hart ran a ferry there, but there were other ferries across the river. The ferry at Rome, just a few miles upriver from Hartsville, was one of the last ferries to run on the river, running until 1992.

In the early 1920s, exactly 100 years ago, residents of Trousdale County were trying to get the state of Tennessee to build a bridge across the Cumberland River.

In articles from the 1920s, the Hartsville location was mentioned as well as the possibility of one at Hunter’s Point.

Politicians from Trousdale County pushed for a new bridge in the State Legislature.

State Representative Jim Pete Owen, from Hartsville, tried to get one built. When he lost re-election in 1928, Richard Huffman, also from Hartsville, continued efforts.

Local businessmen were also prominent in the call for a bridge.

Nathan J. Harsh, who lived in the Rocky Creek community, was prominent in pushing for a bridge. Harsh had learned to drive a car after he was an adult because he had grown up riding a horse and using a buggy … automobiles coming later. He was never comfortable driving his car onto the ferry at Hunter’s Point and felt that a bridge would not only be safer but would put him at ease when crossing.

In Hartsville, local farmer and businessman Coleman Winston also pushed for a new bridge.

Winston had a different reason.

In November of 1930, two Hartsville residents were crossing the river by using the old Lowe’s ferry at Hartsville. The gentleman driving was a teacher and the principal at the school at Providence. His companion was a teacher at the school … both lived in Hartsville.

As he drove onto the wooden ferry, he had trouble with the gear and couldn’t stop.

He drove right off the end of the ferry.

Fortunately, the passenger saw what was happening and jumped from the vehicle in time.

But, 40-year-old Jeff Gregory drowned.

The Hartsville community was distraught. Not only had a respected educator died, but he left behind a wife and young daughter.

Coleman Winston had always been civic-minded and served on the local school board. The accident caused him to add his voice to those of the citizens calling for a bridge over the river at Hartsville.

Both Winston and Harsh were successful.

Harsh benefited from the construction of a new road through the Rocky Creek community. The road ended at Hunter’s Point and a bridge became a part of that project by the state highway department.

Named for him, the Nathan J. Harsh Bridge was completed in November of 1930, the same month of the tragedy in Hartsville.

While the accidental drowning of Jeff Gregory was a motivator for Coleman Winston, an article from the Vidette dated July, 1930, mentioned that work was being done on two bridges … one at Hunter’s Point and one at Hartsville.

No one is around today to recall the exact sequence of events, but Coleman Winston were likely already promoting the idea of a bridge, especially since State Representative Jim Pete Owen had brought the idea before the State Legislature in 1928.

But the accident at the ferry no doubt stayed in people’s memories and became a part of the story of ‘how we got a bridge at Hartsville.’

Winston had enough influence in its construction that it was named in his honor.

Our story is not over … the original Coleman Winston Bridge was declared ‘unsafe for travel’ in 1977, leaving people without a way to cross the river.

Next week … a new bridge!