GRANDFATHER, N.C. — Many have walked out on this bridge only to turn around and come back. But at least 250,000 people still visit every year.
Of course, it is the world-famous Mile High Swinging Bridge on Grandfather Mountain. The engineering marvel was the product of Grandfather Mountain owner, Hugh Morton. The bridge which is the country's longest suspension footbridge has been giving us chills for 68 years.
It was designed by Greensboro architect Charles Hartmann Jr and built by The Truitt Manufacturing Company also out of Greensboro. The bridge opened on September 2, 1952, and now gets about a quarter of a million visitors each year.
It has seen its share of celebrities as well. Everyone from Johnny Cash and Billy Graham to Tom Hanks.
Interesting side note. An Our State Magazine article said that the "Load Limit 40 Persons" isn't true. They said it can actually hold hundreds of people but visitors seem most comfortable when there were only 10 or 15 people ahead of them.
