Dale Bend Bridge

...And unfortunately it still happens!

So perhaps an older bridge that was moved to this location at some point between 1936-1956. And like so many times I have seen before the 1930 date was a poor default date!?

This one is a real head scratcher. The 1936 General History and Transportation Map of Yell County doesn't show a bridge or road here. The map shows plenty of other minor county roads, though.

The 1956 edition of the county map does clearly show the bridge and road.

So does this mean the bridge wasn't installed here until after 1936? Or was it merely omitted from the map?

Truck in the river after collapse. Picture by yell county emergency Mngmint

Truck in the river after collapse. Picture by yell county emergency Mngmint

Both the Vincennes Bridge Company and the Elkhart Bridge & Iron Company did build some pinned spans later than some of the other fabricators... But I've not personally seen any later than about 1920.

Arkansas has other pin-connected bridges that are documented to have been built after 1920.

In this case, the state's historic bridge inventory, National Register nomination, and the National Bridge Inventory data all say 1930. That's all we have unless somebody can find more specific evidence this bridge was built earlier.

Probably referencing the same pdf I linked below, supporting the plausibility of clerical error.

Well the government says it was built in 1930

https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/AssetDetail?assetID=1cb4193c-...

I would suggest James Baughn consider doing a sweep of the database, cross referencing all instances where "pin connected" occurs in any date greater than say 1919. This should generate a relatively short list that could be checked manually... 90% of results returned would be bad dates and should be removed. Especially the ones that are rounded numbers (1930, 1920, etc) as those are almost always "default" dates when construction date is unknown. But the newspapers don't know that.

Truck Drivers Wanted. Do you have a blood pulse? You can be a truck driver!

Literacy: Optional!

Common Sense: Optional!

Concern for Safety: Optional!

Date seems to stem from http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/National-Register-Listin..., which makes me think a clerical error may have led to 1903 becoming 1930.

(Blows whistle and throws yellow flag) "The listed construction date of 1930 is under review". (5 minutes later) "After further review, the ruling on the field has been overturned. This bridge has pinned connections and was not built in 1930."

Super Bowl references aside, I can guarantee you that this bridge was not built in 1930. By 1930, pinned connections had been replaced with riveted connections, even in the most rural, remote, and inaccessible parts of the country. I would suggest that this bridge was built Circa 1900 to 1910.

Now, I suppose there is a possibility that the bridge could have been disassembled and re-erected here in 1930. Likewise it could have possibly been rehabilitated in 1930.

https://www.fox16.com/news/state-news/semi-falls-through-yel...

Two things:

1) "According to the website bridgehunter.com this bridge was built in 1930." Gee, we have that good of a reputation so as to end up in news reporting?

2) "The sheriff says the driver was following GPS instructions and that this bridge is not fit for a truck of that size."

FACEPALM

This moron deserves whatever (reasonable) punishment should come his way.

Bridge was posted for 5 Tons just over 10 years ago... I assume it was still at that or less.

Another blind truck driver!

https://www.kark.com/news/local-news/semi-falls-through-yell...

That's unbelievable!!

I am sorry to report that tonight 1/30/19 around 8 p.m. the Dale Bend Bridge was collapsed by a Semi Truck. Photo by Trisha Holt / Galla Rock Volunteer Fire Dept.

I approached this bridge from the North with plans to travel on across and head toward Plainview. As I crossed the bridge, I discovered the road was completely flooded out with only a small area to turn my car around. We had had a lot of flooding in the state prior to this visit on 06/11/2011. The Petit Jean River was definitely high that day.

I currently live at Mt.George and use this bridge whenever I want to go to Ola.I've always wondered about the history of this bridge.

Visted this bridge at 2:30 pm on 11 Nov. 2006. This bridge is very photographable from most locations on either end. It is narrow, for I can open both front doors on my Toyota Corolla and they will touch the guardrails.

Webmaster's note: The photos that were here have been incorporated into the main site.

Here is this bridge in the wintertime

Locally and in Yell County Court records,this bridge is known as the DALE BEND BRIDGE.

GHOSTBRIDGEHUNTER

Randall Houp