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Huntington now crosses over into her 3rd century with it's taller, wider and safer new bridge over Cherokee Creek. Opening January 2007, at a cost of well over a million dollars, the new bridge also takes local traffic in a new direction down Highway 252. Let it be known that the significance of a good bridge across Cherokee Creek has been an ongoing need since 1887, when a reliable connection between the east & west sides of town was a dangerous issue to be reckoned with.
Probably, the first crossings over the Cherokee were directly over low water areas that may have shifted with the current. However when it flooded, it made the crossing difficult or impossible by horse or foot, but even more improbable by wagon, particularly up the steep banks. The second bridge, an unsteady wire cable bridge, was probably a dangerous and fearful crossing. Some historians claim that Huntington was named in honor of the well respected mining superintendent J.B. Huntington, who lost his life when thrown from the bridge while crossing on his beautiful black horse.
Since those early days, Huntington has had an important need to have a safe crossing over Cherokee Creek. After studying the history of our community from 1887 onward, this need for a good bridge was something that was the talk of the town for many years. Many of us may have forgotten that in the early boomtown years, we had regular railroad connections on the Westside of Huntington (near the current electric sub-station) via the Frisco Railroad and later the Choctaw Coal & Railway where the Depot's connections could take us anywhere in America. For both travel and business, a reliable bridge was needed to get to the Depot and to cross when returning home. Many of the latest goods were being shipped into Huntington by rail to the local stores and shopkeepers, offering everything from fresh salmon & oysters to the latest fashions and farm equipment from across the USA. Weary travelers stopped off in Huntington and spent time & money in our local hotels, saloons and restaurants. City leaders invested many dollars and man hours on the bridge's repairs and constant upkeep before there was any other government assistance during those by-gone days. Records list at almost every city council meeting from 1906 to early 1930's there was money spent to keep the wire cables strong and the boards sturdy, so people, and commerce over the Cherokee and on Broadway Street, the main commercial street of Huntington, could flow and prosper. Even so with the constant repairs, vehicles still fell through and people were injured.
On July 1888, the oldest of the Huntington newspapers, the Huntington Hummer, reported that "A foot and wagon bridge across Cherokee Creek to the depot is what Huntington needs and should have. If neither the railroad or coal company give it to us, let us build it by subscription. It will be a good way to display a little of our public spirit".
The new wire bridge was completed in July 1892, and stated on that occasion of it's completion in the local Huntington paper, the Democrat, "The bridge across the Cherokee is now open. It is a beautiful structure and is an ornament to our city".
In July 1892, the City created an ordinance for the new bridge:
Be it ordained by the Town Council of the incorporated Town of Huntington, Arkansas as follows:
Section 1. That it shall be unlawful for any person or persons to post any bill or place any sign in any manner what ever or on any part of the Huntington Bridge, located at the west end of Broadway across Cherokee Creek, except such signs as are required by the state law.
Section 2. That it shall be unlawful for any person or persons to ride or drive on or across said bridge in any other manner than a walk.
Section 3. That it will be unlawful for any persons to molest, destroy, damage, obstruct or deface any part of said bridge or swing on the wires or any other part of said bridge.
Section 4. Any person who shall violate either one of the sections, one, two or three of this ordinance shall be fined in any sum not less than five nor more than twenty-five dollars.
This ordinance to be in full force and in effect from after it's passage. Passed this the 18th day of July, 1892.
W.E. Eichling, Mayor
S.T. Mottley, Recorder
The latest wire bridge continued to sway and fall apart until it was no longer safe to use for the growing traffic. There needed to be a stronger bridge to carry vehicles, people and commerce, and tie the two sides together. There is even one reported incident where a Coca Cola delivery truck fell through the boards and was resting on the cables. Jimmie D. Robison and his buddies, who were fishing on Cherokee Creek, heard and saw the incident.
When talking with Mr. Robison, one of Huntington's long time citizens, he recalled a low water bridge that crossed over the creek on Oak Street and ran behind the Electric Plant that was used while the Broadway bridge was being built in the 1930's. (NOTE: See pictures of bridge workers & steel beams. If you recognize any of the workers please let us know)
The old Broadway bridge that has now been dismantled due to deterioration, was built in the mid-1930's during President Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration and under the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a national organization that was founded to help pull America out of the "Depression Era," an era of little work, little money and poor living conditions. People wanted to work and needed jobs to buy food and clothing for their families. This new WPA Cherokee Creek Bridge was the biggest and strongest ever, and was what had been needed for many years.
To the men who built her, a salute for a job well done. A fine bridge that kept us all connected in Huntington! Mr. Robison said he remembers watching the bridge being built. The long steel beams were transported to Huntington via the Frisco Railroad Station near the Electric Plant. The beams had little, heavy duty wheels built into them, and were hoisted and rolled along the wooden scaffolding until they fell into cup size slots in the top of the stone piers. The beams were pulled into place with cables attached to a large wheel, with mule power turning the wheel. Sounds like quite an engineering feat!
We are going to miss the old bridge over the Cherokee. We all have so many memories and stories associated with it, the beautiful rock work, and the connection with Broadway Street. How odd it is not to have the bridge with us. We were all so used to crossing over to the West side at that place for so many years. I see folks, including myself, still driving down the road and saying, "Uh-oh, I forgot, the old bridge is gone," then turning at the nearest corner to connect to the new 252 route.
And now we stand at the opening of an even larger and taller new bridge for the 21st century. A time to reflect on how important a bridge can be for a small town or a boom town. Makes you wonder what new stories and memories will surround the new bridge, and what will life be like in Huntington, say in the 22nd century.
Please share your memories, stories and experiences on the Cherokee Creek Bridge.
Here's hoping the New "Cherokee Creek Bridge" re-connects our citizen's spirit and cooperation for progress in Huntington in the 21st century, just as it did in the 19th Century.
Let it be so.
Mr. Rhee Reamy
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