Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

McNeely Bridge on National Historic Register

McNeely Bridge in Beirne has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

According to information from the Department of Arkansas Heritage, the bridge is a "single-span Warren pony truss structure building in 1923."

The nomination was made by Ralph Wilcox, an employee of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. Wilcox said the state Highway and Transportation Department had compiled a list of surviving metal-truss bridges. Wilcox said she then went through the list and made a trip to Clark County.

"Something about this bridge just struck me," she said.

To be included on the National Register of Historic Places, a structure must meet one or more of several criteria.

One possible criteria is that the structure be historically significant or associated with a historical trend. Wilcox said the McNeely Bridge, in addition to being a great example of this type of bridge, is associated with the development of vehicle transportation in Clark County.

The bridge also met the criteria because of its architecture and engineering, Wilcox said. McNeely Bridge is the only remaining bridge of this kind in the area.

Being named to the list is only an honorary designation, Wilcox said. It does not carry any requirements or stipulations with regard to maintenance or repair.

"It just lets people know that the National Park Service has recognized it," Wilcox said. "The county can do whatever it wants with it."

About a dozen other structures across the state received the designation.

The bridge was the only nomination from Clark County.