Saline County holds groundbreaking for Old River Bridge

SALINE COUNTY, Ark. – Saline County officials held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday in preparation for the Old River Bridge to return to its original location this year.

The Old River Bridge is a part of Saline County history, being named one of the oldest bridges in Arkansas along the Old Missouri Trail, now known as the Southwest Trail.

One of the oldest bridges in Arkansas to return to original location after renovations

It was originally constructed in 1897 as a way for transportation across the Saline River. Local officials shut down the bridge after it was damaged in 1974.

According to Saline County officials, former Benton Mayor Lynn More sparked plans to restore the bridge with new improvements, including a bike and pedestrian pathway.

The bridge was disassembled in 2018 and taken to Michigan for repairs and renovations three years later. Saline County Judge Matt Brumley said the bridge returned to Saline County in 2022 and is now waiting for its moving date back to its historical location.

“It is extremely exciting to celebrate and start construction as we return the Old River Bridge back to its original location 135 years after its initial construction”, Brumley said.

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Once the restoration is completed, county officials said that the Old River Bridge will be the oldest bridge in the state in its original location.

For more information on the history of the Old River Bridge, visit EncyclopediaofArkansas.net.

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