Jolly Mill Park plans next steps after historic bridge destroyed
Apr. 20—The board in charge of a private park in eastern Newton County is planning its next steps after a historic bridge was destroyed over the weekend.
Sometime on Friday, a dead tree from a neighboring property became uprooted. It slid down a hill and crashed into the historic Haskins Bridge on the west side of Jolly Mill Park in eastern Newton County. The park is about 12 miles southeast of Granby and almost 8 miles southwest of Pierce City.
Piper Price, secretary of the Jolly Mill Park Board Foundation, said that board President Jason Eckhart and other board members are formulating plans for cleanup and replacement of the bridge.
"There would be those who want to assign blame, but that's not going to happen here," Price said. "The park takes full responsibility for the cleanup."
Built in 1926, the bridge that stretches across Capps Creek was gifted to the park after the Newton County Commission abandoned it. It was named for the Haskins family, who used to own the park before it was eventually transformed into a park operated by a nonprofit group.
Price said the steel and wooden structure was a bridge to nowhere — it led to private property owned by a neighbor. The accident led board members to close the park to guests.
The park board should have some direction about next steps in about a week, Price said. Reopening the park safely will be a priority; after that, a number of options from cleanup to reconstruction await board members.
"We know a lot of families around the area would like to see it rebuilt," Price said. "If we can get the funds donated and the work done safely, then we absolutely will. But if not, we will have to get it removed and figure out a way to commemorate it."
Discussions with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have been started, Price said.
Jolly Mill Park's main feature is a mill on the southern bank of the creek. The mill is all that remains of the original town of Jollification. Built in 1848, the mill and a distillery helped the town grow by serving as a stop for wagon trains and stagecoaches. But much of the town was destroyed during the Civil War, and what remained was dissolved after the distillery closed in the 1870s.
The mill has found new life as a privately owned park, maintained by the 501(c)(3) foundation. Under normal operation, the mill is put into service for demonstrations, and a nearby historic town offers historic re-creations.
Because the park is popular with many around the area, those in charge of the park are now having issues controlling curious motorists and are asking visitors to stay away from the damage site.
"We've spent all weekend asking people not to go around the signs to see the damage," Price said. "We're not doing this to be mean. It's to safeguard the public."
