For more than a century after Coffeeville was settled in the early 1800s, no permanent bridge crossed the Tombigbee River at this location. Travel between the east and west sides of the river depended on a ferry service. The ferry was essential for commerce, mail routes, and wagon travel. As automobile traffic increased in the early 20th century, the ferry became a major transportation bottleneck. By the 1950s, growing highway traffic – especially along what became U.S. Highway 84 – made a permanent crossing necessary.
The current river bridge was completed in 1958 and formally dedicated in January 1959. It opened fully to traffic around 1960, replacing the long-standing ferry crossing. This bridge extended U.S. Highway 84 across the Tombigbee River, directly linking transportation routes across southwest Alabama. The new bridge was a two-lane steel through-arch truss highway bridge. It has total length of about 1,290 feet, with a main span of approximately 400 feet.
The new river bridge was named for James E. Folsom Sr., popularly known as “Big Jim” Folsom who served as Alabama’s governor 1947–1951 and 1955–1959. “Big Jim” was a strong supporter of rural road building and infrastructure improvements. The naming reflected his administration’s emphasis on connecting rural communities through modern highways.
The bridge’s construction coincided with major federal improvements to navigation on the Tombigbee River. The nearby Coffeeville Lock and Dam was built between 1956 and 1960, with final completion in 1965. Together, the lock, dam, and bridge transformed the area.
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