Building Community Bridges

Welcome to the Clays Ferry overlook

If there was a documentary Bridges of Madison County movie, it probably wouldn’t star Clint Eastwood. The star would be The Clays Ferry I-75 bridge soaring 250-plus feet above the Kentucky River and quickly connecting Lexington and Richmond, replacing years of ferry rides.

The Clays Ferry overlook wall was built in 1934, as a scenic overlook on the Old Dixie Highway.

The “co-star” would definitely be lifelong Madison County native, Jay Webb. He builds custom cars, trucks, and motorcycles and says, he’d “been interested in the Dixie Highway for years, and this was a major point along it.”

A friend of his was related to family who “owned a portion of the property and he mentioned selling it, so that was my first contact. After I purchased that I tracked down the owners of the rest of the property and convinced them to sell.”

Admitting the project was “an enormous undertaking” — progress was slowed down by “a heart attack and triple-bypass open heart surgery” — he adds, seeing “how many people stop and enjoy it again makes it worthwhile. Every age and walk of life stops by. I can’t count the number of ‘Thank Yous’ I’ve had.”

In recent years, the spot has been the site of proposals, graduation photos, and even weddings, just to name a few.

Unfortunately, the Overlook has often served as a dumping ground. Webb’s cleanup efforts have been significant, and are ongoing. He estimates he’s removed 150 tires just since he bought the property.

“I just thought it was such a beautiful place and I wanted to save it,” he says.

As for the future of the property, he says, “Hopefully I can turn the little house into some sort of visitor center. I’ve been accumulating as much memorabilia as I can of the area to display.” Fans have been posting decades of history, memory, and shared photos on the Facebook page, which has amassed nearly 5000 followers.