Woolsey Bridge

Woolsey Bridge (NRHP listed as Washington County Road 35 Bridge) was a truss bridge built in 1925, formerly located near West Fork, Arkansas. It carried County Route 35 over the West Fork of the White River for 303 feet (92 m).^[1] It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Woolsey Bridge
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Woolsey Bridge, 2011 (facing northwest)
Location in Arkansas Show map of Arkansas Location in United States Show map of the United States
Nearest city	Woolsey, Arkansas
Coordinates	35°53′08″N 94°10′10″W
Area	Washington County
Built	1925
Architectural style	Two pin-connected, 8-panel Parker through trusses
MPS	Historic Bridges of Arkansas MPS
NRHP reference No.	00000637
Added to NRHP	June 9, 2000

History

The bridge is historic as the only surviving bridge in the area built in the camelback style. Engineered in a distinct way, the camelback truss is uncommon and this well-preserved example was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 9, 2000.^[2]

Design

Oblique view

Bridge designers and engineers of the early 20th century had seen the Pratt truss prove itself as a durable and economically feasible bridge. The Woolsey Bridge was designed as a camelback through truss design. The camelback is a modification of the Pratt truss by Charles H. Parker that features a top chord that is not parallel to the bottom chord. Although stronger in the center than parallel bridges, the style is less common due to its complexity. The Woolsey Bridge was likely built by a county workforce in 1925, possibly consisting of area residents.^[3]

Status

The bridge was closed to traffic in January, 2015 and a replacement bridge opened in 2018.^[4][5] The old bridge was disassembled and given to the town of West Fork with the intention it would be repurposed into a pedestrian bridge.^[6]

See also

• List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Arkansas
• List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Arkansas
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington County, Arkansas

References

1. "Woolsey Bridge". Bridgehunter.com. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
2. "Washington County Road 35 Bridge, Woolsey Vic., Washington County". Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
3. "Historic Bridges of Arkansas National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form". United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
4. "Washington County Closes Woolsey Bridge South of West Fork". Retrieved 4 May 2021.
5. "New Woolsey Bridge Outside Of West Fork Completed & Open". Retrieved 4 May 2021.
6. "Woolsey Bridge to be moved, will become part of West Fork's trail system". Retrieved 4 May 2021.

External links

• Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. AR-63, "Woolsey Bridge, County Road 1408, Woolsey, Washington County, AR", 5 measured drawings