Since 1851, portions of the Buchanan Swinging Bridge have played a critical role in the history of the Town of Buchanan while providing a crossing of the James River. The present Buchanan Swinging Bridge is 366 feet long, 57.5 feet tall at the peak, and the only one of its type to cross the James River. Portions of the bridge witnessed Hunter’s Civil War raid, the rerouting of U.S. Route 11, and numerous floods. The original stone piers in the James River were constructed in 1851 for the Buchanan Turnpike Company’s toll bridge, a wood covered bridge that charged five cents for each person and an additional five cents for each horse, mule or oxen, and wagon. On June 13, 1864, Confederate General McCausland burned the covered bridge to prevent Federal General Hunter and his troops from crossing the James River on their way to Lynchburg. The bridge was rebuilt after the war but was washed away in a flood in 1877. The Richmond & Alleghany Railroad Company then rebuilt it as a toll-free covered bridge. In 1897, that wood covered bridge was replaced with a steel truss bridge that remained in use until 1938. In July 1937, construction began on the current concrete vehicular bridge over the James River under an agreement by Mayor C.W. Blount to maintain pedestrian access to Pattonsburg by way of the swinging bridge. On July 4, 1938, the bridges were dedicated following a presentation by Governor E. Lee Trinkle.