HISTORY:
In 1914, as modes of transportation progressed, the Historic Caddo Lake Drawbridge
at Mooringsport was built to replace the ferry. The Midland Bridge Company
of Kansas City, Missouri built the bridge under authority of the Caddo Parish
Police Jury. This vehicular bridge illustrates the unique "Vertical-Lift"
design of Mr. James Alexander Low Waddell of the illustrious firm of Waddell
and Harrington Bridges. This design allowed the entire center span to lift
in a vertical direction to allow tall oil equipment to pass through, especially
Gulf Oil Company's pile driver. This design was invented in 1893 and was successfully
introduced in Chicago with the South Halsted Street Bridge. The Caddo Lake
Drawbridge is a direct descendent of this structure.
In the summer of 1941, just prior to World War II, the United States Army
held maneuvers in and around Mooringsport as a means of preparing the soldiers
for war. During the maneuvers, Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower and George S.
Patton came to Mooringsport and led the Red and Blue armies in the "capture"
of the bridge. They also bombed the bridge with sacks of flour.
| In the mid 1940's, ownership of the bridge was transferred away from Caddo Parish to the Louisiana Department of Highways {LA Department of Transportation & Development-DOTD}. Shortly after the transfer, the Department of Highways realized that there was no longer a need for the bridge to open. Consequently, the concrete counterweights were removed from the bridge's tower and dropped in the lake. (To the right is a photo taken in 1921 of the bridge with the concrete counterweights) |  |
THE SAVING
ENDEAVOR:
In the late 1970's due to the narrow width of the bridge, the flow of vehicular
traffic was changed to one alternating lane. At this time, the DOTD determined
that the useful life of the bridge had been exhausted and it was time to consider
its replacement. In 1989, the DOTD received funds from the Federal Highway
Administration for a bridge replacement project. The project called for the
construction of a new two lane bridge approximately fifty feet to the east
of the old bridge. The construction proposal also called for the old bridge
to be destroyed when the new one was completed. A citizen's campaign was launched
with involvement of Local, State and Federal officials and political leaders.
The objective was to save the Historic Caddo Lake Drawbridge and convert its
use into a pedestrian walkway, landmark, and tourist attraction. After two
years of negotiations, the DOTD and the Federal Highway Administration agreed
to use the funds appropriated for removing the structure to refurbish the
bridge instead. This agreement was made with the stipulation that Caddo Parish
agrees to assume ownership and liability. On June 26, 1991, the Caddo Parish
Commissioners voted to accept the bridge into the Caddo Parish Department
of Parks and Recreation.
On July 24, 1991, The Historic American Engineering Record {U.S. Dept. of
the Interior/National Park Service} rendered their evaluation of the bridge.
The evaluation indicated that the bridge is nationally significant due to
its designer, its unique design, and the fact that it is the sole surviving
example of this bridge type in the State of Louisiana. With this determination,
the bridge was eligible to be presented for listing on the National Register
of Historic Places. Due to a unique state law that forbad the application
process, this was delayed until ownership changed.
After the bridge was cleaned, painted and barricaded to vehicular traffic,
ownership of the bridge was transferred back to the Parish of Caddo on October
3, 1995. A rededication ceremony was held in Mooringsport later that month
to mark the saving of the town's chief landmark and to honor those who had
contributed to the endeavor. On June 4, 1996, a public hearing was held in
Baton Rouge by the State's Review Committee regarding nomination of the bridge
to the National Register of Historic Places. On October 18, 1996, the Historic
Caddo Lake Drawbridge was officially entered into the National Register of
Historic Places under the provisions of the National Historic Preservation
Act of 1966.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
MAIL INQUIRIES TO:
The Historic Caddo Lake Drawbridge Perpetuation Committee
Post Office Box 35
Mooringsport, Louisiana 71060-0035
United States of America
or
caddobridg@aol.com
www.caddolakedrawbridge.com