19 Mar 2018 Bridge represents Arkansas heritage

Posted at 9:03 PMh in Travel by

The Springfield-Des Arc Bridge has a new home at Beaverfork Lake near Conway.

The 501 theme this month is multiples. I had to think long and hard about how I could combine “traveling the 501” and multiples. It finally came to me — the Springfield-Des Arc Bridge has had two lives. I wrote about my love of old bridges back in March 2015. I still love finding and photographing old bridges throughout Arkansas. I still find beauty in their grace and style.

The Springfield-Des Arc Bridge remains the oldest standing bridge in Arkansas, but now the location of the bridge has been changed.

The 142-year-old bridge’s former position was important in our state’s early settlement. The location of the Springfield-Des Arc Bridge served as the part of the state’s east-west route. It was important in trade as well as transportation from the State’s Capitol to the western territory. Early Arkansas history accounts that the iron bridges replaced previously constructed wooden bridges that were frequently washed away due to flooding. Even before the construction of wooden bridges, the location had been the site of an important ferry crossing for both Union and Confederate troops. In the bridge’s early life, it served as the connection between Conway County and Faulkner County.

It spanned 146 feet over Cardron Creek. Over the years, the bridge faced continued wear and tear, major floods and fire. The bridge was decommissioned in 1991 when the concrete bridge was constructed to better serve the traffic needs of the community. It no longer was connected to Springfield Road, and concrete barriers were placed at the entrance and exit of the bridge. The bridge remained abandoned, and slowly the old bridge lost its fight with weeds, branches, vines, saplings and vandals. In 2015, the bridge was placed on the Most Endangered Historic Properties in Arkansas.

The bridge was still standing prior to its move, but the bridge’s iron framework was corroding and the wooden undercarriage was rotting. The stone support’s mortar was crumbling, and the massive stones had been spray painted with graffiti.

Over the years there have been many attempts by several groups to restore the bridge at the original location, but none were successful until a joint venture between several groups, including the city of Conway. In 2014, a plan was established to restore and relocate the bridge to Beaverfork Lake Park.

A road and a gravel pad were built to the old bridge’s location so that it could be dismantled piece by piece and removed. The parts of the bridge that could be saved were cleaned and refurbished. The old stone piers, which were quarried from the area, were removed and sand blasted to eliminate the graffiti. Then in the summer of 2017, the refinished bridge was set into its new home on Lake Beaverfork.

Now the bridge sits near Highway 25 and the Lake’s recreation area. It serves as a pedestrian bridge that spans from east to west across a small cove, linking the swimming area and the fishing pier. The bridge was dedicated Sept. 23, 2017. The Faulkner County Historical Society has placed a historical maker near the bridge with the history of the old bridge. The preservation of this unique historic structure had already won many awards, and I’m sure that it will win many more.

Since the relocation and restoration of the bridge, I have been out to see it and photographic it many times. I still don’t have my “best picture” of the new bridge, so I’m sure I will be there often. I have plans for photographing the old beauty as the back drop for sunrises, weather and all kinds of people photos. I am so thankful that such an important historical structure and a piece of Arkansas heritage was saved for generations to come.

Linda Henderson
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