Rockport Bridge
Timeline
Compiled by James Baughn
- 1846
- Little Rock Bridge Company built a wooden toll bridge on the Military Road for a cost of $20,000
- 1847
- Wooden bridge destroyed by flooding on the Ouachita River
- Jan. 23, 1873
- Courthouse at Rockport burned to the ground
- Feb. 1873
- Hot Spring County issued bonds for new courthouse along with a new bridge at Rockport. The county bridge commission contracted to build "one of King's Latest Improved Patent Wrought Iron Bridges."
- July 8, 1873
- County court nullified contracts for new courthouse and bridge because the work was not properly advertised for bids. A legal battle ensued and the bridge was never built.
- 1878
- Hot Spring county seat moved to Malvern
- July 5, 1887
- Alignment of the Military Road changed to use a private wooden toll bridge built by the Ouachita Falls Lumber Company at Rockport
- July 1897
- Newspaper article advocated construction of a free bridge at Rockport
- Oct. 4, 1897
- Hot Spring Levying Court decided not to impose a tax to build a new bridge because of hardships caused by recent drought conditions
- Oct. 2, 1899
- County levied a tax to build the bridge, appropriating $10,000
- Dec. 2, 1899
- Election held to determine whether to build the bridge at Rockport or Grigsby's Ford (two miles upstream). Rockport won, 1392 to 297.
- Mar. 6, 1900
- Bidding opened for the bridge
- Apr. 3, 1900
- County awarded contract to Stupp Brothers Bridge & Iron Co. for a bid of $26,000.
- Nov. 8, 1900
- Two hundred people attend bridge celebration
- 1970
- Interstate 30 built across the Ouachita River, reducing traffic volume on AR 84
- 1976
- Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department transferred bridge to Hot Spring County
- May 8, 1980
- Bridge closed after a state inspection found it in "very poor" condition
- May 26, 1980
- The "Rockport Bridge Committee" held meeting to discuss ways of saving the bridge
- Oct. 25, 1982
- After a fundraising drive, and a donation of labor by the county, bridge repairs were finally completed
- Dec. 29, 1982
- Bridge officially reopened to light traffic
- Feb. 28, 1987
- Debris from flash flooding caused serious damage to the piers
- Mar. 3, 1987
- Storm damage discovered and bridge immediately closed to traffic
- 1990
- Another flood wiped out the bridge for good. The east and center spans were dredged out of the river, but the wreckage from the west span remained
- 2004
- Construction finally started on replacement bridge, and the last of the wreckage hauled away
Facts
- Overview
- Lost three-span through truss bridge over Ouachita River on AR 84 in Malvern
- Location
- Hot Spring County, Arkansas
- Status
- Destroyed by flooding
- History
- Built 1900 by Stupp Brothers Bridge & Iron Co.; destroyed by flooding in 1990
- Builder
- - Stupp Brothers Bridge & Iron Co. of St. Louis, Missouri
- Design
- West span: Pin-connected, 8-panel, 160-foot Camelback Pratt through truss
Center span: Pin-connected, 11-panel, 220-foot Parker through truss
East span: Pin-connected, 8-panel, 160-foot Camelback Pratt through truss
- Dimensions
-
Length of largest span: 209.0 ft.
Total length: 526.9 ft.
Deck width: 15.1 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 15.8 ft.
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +34.38604, -92.83845 (decimal degrees)
34°23'10" N, 92°50'18" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 15/514850/3804972 (zone/easting/northing)
- USGS topographic map
- Malvern North
- Inventory numbers
- NRHP 82000829 (National Register of Historic Places reference number)
AHTD M1576 (Arkansas Highway and Transportation Dept. bridge number)
BH 10370 (Bridgehunter.com ID) - Inspection (as of 05/1991)
- Appraisal: Structurally deficient
Sufficiency rating: 11.2 (out of 100) - Average daily traffic (as of 1987)
- 1,814
Update Log
- March 31, 2008: New photo from Wayne Kizziar
- March 2, 2005: Posted new photos by Wayne Kizziar
Sources
- Wayne Kizziar - wayne1701 [at] cableone [dot] net
- HAER AR-47 - Rockport Bridge
Comments
I certainly remember that concrete tower. As a kid I never knew what it was. I crossed the old bridge, that washed away, back about 1949. The water was so high that it was sloshing over the floor as we crossed. My dad waited a long time before we attempted to cross. I was about 5. I remember he said, "It could go at any time". The water was roaring as it ran under and around the bridge. It was only one lane wide. Well it held on long enough for us to cross. Apparently it lasted many more years. As we crossed that old tower was on the right side of the car. They had markings on it to tell how deep the river was. I can't remember how deep it was but it was easily up to the upper light colored area. I know it was deeper than I'd ever seen it either then or any time after that. I know I was really scared. I never forgot it. Just thought you'd like to know a little about the old bridge. On a clear night, you could hear the bridge timbers rattle ten miles away at our house when a vehicle crossed it, Of course, that was a long time ago.
I grew up not more than 2 miles from this bridge at the corner of Old Military and Hwy 270 across from the Rockport Methodist Church. I learned how to drive going across this bridge and seeing the runners on the deck brought back memories of fearing for my life! The boards they laid for the runners would split lengthwise and as the sun heated them up, the boards would curl and pull the nails out. So, not only did you fear driving off the bridge (it was SO narrow) you feared puncturing a tire.
My grandfather, Vernon Lancaster, worked for the water company and was responsible for the pumps housed in the silos. Small world!
I wish I had a dime for every time I have crossed the old bridge. I'd be wealthy. I recently was able to cross the new bridge while in the area visiting and it was so much better than the old one.
The "silo in creek" housed the in-take machinery for Rockport/Malverns original water system . If you look closely at some of the pictures you will see a small castle like structure as well. This served as the control room for the water intake system. Both used to be accessible by small walkways from the old bridge. Both structures are made of concrete and are on the national register of historic places.
this is off topic ...
But why in the heck is there a cilo in the middle of the creek?
wow, this was a beautiful bridge, i am so sorry to see it gone..... thanks for the photos wayne so we can remember this lost bridge
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