Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the joint efforts of the city of Conway, Faulkner County, the Faulkner County Historical Society, and Workin' Bridges, a nonprofit organization, that are collaborating to restore a historic bridge in Faulkner County, Arkansas. The Springfield-Des Arc Bridge, an iron bowstring arc bridge, is the oldest bridge in Arkansas and one of the oldest of its type in the country. The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. This bridge was originally constructed back in 1874 to facilitate travel between Faulkner and Conway Counties in the Second Congressional District. Over the years, the bridge faced continued operational wear and tear, three major floods, and lost its flooring to a fire. The bridge was decommissioned when the road was rerouted to a new and better concrete bridge. Faulkner County Historical Society and the city of Conway worked together to establish a restoration plan for the bridge and proposed to relocate it to Beaverfork Lake Park. The 146-foot structure was dismantled and transported to North Little Rock for cleaning and refinishing. The bridge now sits at Beaverfork Lake Park as a link between the swimming area and the fishing pier. Mr. Speaker, I thank all those who have worked so diligently over the years to preserve this historic bridge and give it a new use for a new generation. 50th Anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt Island”