Getting across the river between Granby (Saxe Gotha) to Columbia was difficult in the early years. Friday operated a ferry between Columbia and Granby from 1754 to 1800. Other ferries were operated by John Compty ( 1763- 1799), Henry McGowen (1799-1821), Stark (1806-1823), and Sharp ( 1811- 1827) over the Broad River.
Compty attempted to build a bridge at the site of his ferry in 1791 for George Washington’s visit but it washed away in the spring freshets (floods). Wade Hampton I built a bridge across the Congaree River in 1796 but it suffered a similar fate. The City of Columbia operated a ferry at the site of Hampton’s bridge until the first successful bridge was completed in 1827. This wooden bridge was burned to delay the advance of Sherman’s army in 1865. A concrete bridge was built in 1927 at the same location.
Henry McGowen built a bridge over the Broad River at Compty’s site in 1828. Christopher Sharp built another bridge three miles upriver at the same time.
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