This is a single suspension bridge from the Bridgemeister historical inventory of suspension bridges.

1929: Idabel-Clarksville

Idabel vicinity, Oklahoma and Clarksville vicinity, Texas, USA - Red River
Bridgemeister ID:2378 (added 2007-10-21)
Year Completed:1929
Name:Idabel-Clarksville
Location:Idabel vicinity, Oklahoma and Clarksville vicinity, Texas, USA
Crossing:Red River
Principals:Austin Bridge Co.
References:AUB
Use:Vehicular
Status:Destroyed, 1933
Main Cables:Wire (steel)
Suspended Spans:3
Main Span:1 x 213.4 meters (700 feet)
Side Spans:2 x 76.2 meters (250 feet)
Deck width:16 feet

Notes:

  • The November 1933 issue of The Wisconsin Engineer (a publication of the University of Wisconsin) has an article by C.W.P. Walter about research that was being performed by the University of Wisconsin's Engineering Department: "The particular hardware laden contrivance [in the Engineering Building] is a half-model of the Red River Bridge which carried light highway traffic between Clarksville, Texas, and Idabel, Oklahoma. In the early part of this year movement of the Red River as a result of flood waters washed away one of the intermediate piers supporting the end spans, and cause the cable to drop and be subjected to impact loading. It was contended by the company owning the bridge that the cable was overstressed and injured to such an extent that it would be necessary for the insurance company to replace the cable as well as the pier. A committee... was appointed to investigate the questions involved. While the investigation proceeded the Red River continued to scour away the foundation of the existing piers, ultimately causing the bridge to collapse completely."
  • AUB mentions this bridge very briefly: "In 1928, [Jim Diamond] was employed by Austin Bridge Company as a consultant on the super-structure and cable work for the White River bridge at Des Arc. Later in the same year, he represented the owners as job engineer on the bridge built by the Company across Red River above Clarksville, Texas."
  • Apparently this bridge was damaged by flood the same week it was supposed to open. In the October 1989 edition of the Oklahoma Water News an article (excerpted from an article in The Chronicles of Oklahoma by Dr. Bernice N. Crockett) writes: "The Austin Bridge Company completed the bridge May 19, 1929, but on May 23, when more than 400 people went to see the new bridge opened, an estimated 40 feet of the Red River bank had caved in near the bridge. Heavy rains continued to hinder road construction. A resident near the bridge recalled the night of May 19, 1929, as the night the river changed its course, and by morning had moved the entire structure into Oklahoma." The bridge eventually opened on June 20.
  • The Friday December 30, 1932 edition of The Port Arthur News ran an article "Red River Bridge Damaged By Water". Texarkana, Dec. 30 (1932).: "High stages in Red River, that earlier this week demolished the Texas side approach to the privately owned suspension bridge [?] miles north of Clarksville on highway 37 to Idabel have been in recession since Wednesday but indicated continued heavy rains such as last night are expected to bring additional high water with probably further damage to the bridge. More than 50 feet of the approach is gone and the ground piers have crumpled, leaving the anchor cables alone holding the bridge in place."
  • It appears the final end to this short-lived bridge didn't come until late May, 1933 when it was completely destroyed by flood.

External Links:

  • Historic Suspension Bridges: Advent of the State Highway Department. This Texas Department of Transportation page mentions: "Five of the eleven suspension bridges built by [Austin Bridge Company] were toll bridges over the Red River. The Red River is notorious for its volatile, melting, red clay banks. The bridge between Clarksville, Texas, and Idabel, Oklahoma, was built by ABC in 1928, and washed out during flooding in 1932."

Do you have any information or photos about this bridge that you would like to share? Please email david.denenberg@bridgemeister.com.


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