The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department has recently awarded a contract to the Hardy Construction Company Inc. of Maumelle, Arkansas, to restore the R.M. Ruthven Bridge over the White River here at Cotter.

This will be a substantial project with a low bid of $6,278,211, and work will include replacement of the deck and arches. Weather permitting, work could start as early as March, 2002, and be completed by the end of next year.

Randy Ort, spokesman for the Highway Department, reconfirmed that restoring a historic landmark is much more than simply replacing a bridge. Previous bids were well beyond the availability of funding. About 80 percent of this project will be funded by federal historic preservation money and the rest will be state funds.

Travelers should be aware that the bridge will be closed during construction and make other routine arrangements to get to and from downtown Cotter.

At their monthly meeting on Jan 17, 2002, the Cotter City Council approved the annual budget for the year. Major accounts include:

Planning and Zoning Commission members were approved for 2002. They are Drew Pierce, Chairman, Larry Knight, Bill Jennings, Gill Stammer and Jeff Magness. Two positions will be filled later this year.

Other matters included adjustment to the City’s personnel manual, and discussions of the Cotter-Gassville Rural Fire Protection District, a CD for fire truck replacement, and proposed bond ordinance for the waste water treatment plant expansion project.

The Chamber of Commerce has begun planning for a new spring event dubbed "The Cotter Trout Festival" on Saturday, April 20, 2002. This will highlight fishing and boating on the White River. Preliminary plans include a boat show, fishing instructions, fly tieing, boat rides, food and entertainment. More will be announced in the local media in the near future.

Cotter’s fall festival "Art, Antiques, and Architecture...A Cotter Open House" is scheduled for September 28 & 29, 2002 in the downtown area. Preliminary planning will start in late spring for this growing, third annual event.

Work on the nomination of Cotter’s historic district is continuing. Those who would like to be part of this research effort should contact Sonny Sharp at 435-6757.

Chamber officers for 2002 are Gil Stammer, President; Gary Flippin, Vice President; Sonny Sharp, Secretary; and Judy Nazarenko, Treasurer.

The City of Cotter greatly appreciates the continuing efforts of the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department to find a way to fund and complete such a complex project. The bridge is recognized throughout this part of the country and is regularly featured on Arkansas Parks and Tourism literature.

Many newcomers and visitors enjoy the beauty of the bridge but few are aware of its background. In a brochure available at City Hall, local historian Anne Ramey says that the design for the reinforced concrete rainbow arch bridge was patented by James Marsh in 1912. He actively promoted the technology and became responsible for the vast majority of rainbow arch bridges built in the Midwest and great plains largely between 1915 and 1930. The Cotter Bridge is probably the largest Marsh Rainbow arch bridge.

Work began November 17, 1929, and crews built towers at each end and assembled steel arches with forms for concrete on the ground. They lifted them into place on piers, and cast concrete around them. Materials were moved on an overhead cable. They included 9000 yards of gravel, 5000 yards of sand, 60,000 sacks of cement, 800,000 pounds of structural steel, and 825,000 pounds of reinforcing steel. During construction two individuals, Cliff Williams and John

Harley were killed in separate accidents. Work continued around the clock for almost a year.

The bridge was dedicated November 11, 1930. In her book "The History of Baxter County" Mary Ann Messick writes "County Judge R.M. Ruthven of Cotter, who had played the major role in securing the bridge, was master of ceremonies and Senator Carraway gave the dedication address." Other speakers included Cotter’s Mayor at the time, H.C. Lonon.

"The event included a parade that began at 1 P.M. with H.H. Chandler, parade marshall, on a prancing white horse. Following were the West Plains, Missouri, High School Band, the cars carrying dignitaries, four other bands and two military units, a Cotter float labeled "Progress," floats from Mountain Home and Gassville, a band of grade school children led by Miss Amanda Gist (for whom the new Cotter Elementary School would be named more than 30 years later) and the convertibles carrying the celebration royalty. The queen was Elizabeth Ruthven who was crowned by U.S. Senator Thaddeus H. Carraway. At exactly 2 P.M. a plane appeared out of the overcast sky and hovered over the new bridge, and a cascade of poppies floated down from the cockpit. At this signal, Miss Ruthven sprinkled water from the Cotter Spring over the bridge and announced, ‘I christen this bridge Progress and dedicate it to service.’"

A condensed version of the local history, "Cotter, Arkansas -- the Story of A Small Town," is available free in PDF format, readable on computer. Anyone may request a copy by e-mailing bookery@cox-internet.com