Jimmy Armstrong (the diver we met at the Finding Granby talk just 2 days earlier) met me (David Brinkman) this morning at the boat ramp across the river from Granby. We went out in Jimmy's boat to mark the locations (on the east and west banks) of the river where we believe Friday's Ferry and Hampton's bridge crossed. I wasn't expecting to make any discoveries today but this was the first time I have visited the other side of the river (which you need a boat to get to). We were drawn to a couple of large boulders which may or may not be old but it was what was sitting under these boulders that stunned us. 5 large flat and rectangular foundation pieces that were placed next to each other to form a width of 20 feet (the width of Wade Hampton's bridge). Jimmy did a lot of probing of the river bottom (not only in the area where the ferry/bridge crossed but also north and south of here) and the only places where there is a stone bottom was just in the area out from these perfectly flat and rectangular pieces. Jimmy thought these underwater stones may also be more of the same flat-cut stone. These may be cut foundation stones for the wood piers of Hampton's bridge. After the mission, I read a description of Hampton's bridge and the height (40 feet above the water) and length (700 feet) matched exactly what it would take to span the river today and land at a point 40 feet above the water on both sides (at this location). The next step is to do the first dive to see if we can identify other foundation sections and possibly locate any 3/4" drill holes which (as documented) were made to attach the wood piers to the bottom of the river.

Below are photos of the stone foundation pieces found on September 7, 2013.











Below is a view from the newly found foundation pieces toward the opposite side of the river where wood structures have been found. One of these was dated to 1800 which would likely make it part of Friday's Ferry or Hampton's bridge. We now have a good search line across the river.



Below are pictures of the west side wood structures (Taken by dig team members DC Locke and David Brinkman).