Skip to Main Content

Bridge History

Cotter Bridge Timeline: 1929 Cotter Bridge is built, 1930 Cotter Bridge Dedication, 2002 Cotter Bridge restoration, 2004 Cotter Bridge Rededication The first lighting of the bridge, 2012 The second lighting of the bridge, 2021 Peitz River Lights revealed.

Detail view of dateplates at Northeast corner of bridge - Cotter Bridge, spanning White River at U.S. Highway 62, Cotter, Baxter County, AR Looking Northwest, general view of concrete spandrel arch, bridge from roadbed - Cotter Bridge, spanning White River at U.S. Highway 62, Cotter, Baxter County, AR.

The Cotter Bridge, also known as the R.M. Ruthven Bridge named after the County Judge, has become one of Cotter's most historical objects. The Cotter Bridge is most likely the biggest bridge of its kind still standing. The Cotter six-span Bridge was designed by the Marsh Engineering Company and was patented by James Marsh in 1912.

View of bridge under construction, showing steel arches in foreground - Cotter Bridge, spanning White River at U.S.Highway 62, Cotter, Baxter, AR. View, looking west, showing arches under construction - Cotter Bridge, spanning White River at U.S. Highway 62, Cotter, Baxter County, AR

The Cotter Bridge was built by the Bateman Contracting Company of Nashville, Tennessee in 1929.  The construction of the bridge cost $500,000 and it is approximately 1,850 feet long.

View of bridge under construction, showing central arch and piers, with cableway above and tower on background - Cotter Bridge, spanning White River at U.S. Highway 62, Cotter, Baxter County, AR. View, looking North, showing cableway and tram above an arch under construction, with railroad bridge in background - Cotter Bridge, spanning White River at Highway 62, Cotter, Baxter County, AR.

The Cotter Bridge stood for seventy-three years before they started restoring it in 2002. There were forty-four workers who worked on restoring it and even though there was a delay, on August 4, 2003, they were able to finish restoring the bridge. They were able to have the Cotter Bridge finished in 2004. The lighting of the historical Cotter Bridge with more than 3,000 lights was celebrated on December 13, 2004.

View, looking West, showing bridge under construction with approach span in the foreground - Cotter Bridge, spanning White River at U.S. Highway 62, Cotter, Baxter County, AR. View of approach span under construction - Cotter Bridge, spanning White River at U.S. Highway 62, Cotter, Baxter County, AR.

The mayor led ten vintage cars across the bridge. The cars included a 1923 Buick Roadster, 1926 Ford Phaeton, 1927 Ford Model T, 1929 Desoto, and several others. The speakers included: Bill Jennings, Wayne Ruthven, Forrest Wood, and Jonathan Barnett. A poem was written by Herbert Messick and was read by his daughter Mary Ann Messick. It was dedicated to all the workers who worked on restoring the bridge and to all the men years ago who built the very historical rainbow arch bridge.

View of bridge from underneath showing concrete pier and concrete deck supporting system, looking Northwest - Cotter Bridge, spanning White River at U.S. Highway 62, Cotter, Baxter County, AR. View of bridge under construction, taken at night - Cotter Bridge, spanning White River at U.S. Highway 62, Cotter, Baxter County, AR.

The re-dedication of the bridge was a day to remember. It started at two p.m. on September 24, 2004, with the singing of our national anthem and the flying of three vintage aircraft from Cotter's "Air Force" overhead at the Valley Fly-In. At 3:00 p.m. the cannon roared to proclaim the re-opening of the R.M. Ruthven Bridge. There were war re-enactors from Mountain Home and Bakersfield, Missouri. The war re-enactors fired their 12-pound Napoleon cannon on the signal given by Hart's Battery while the Cotter fire Department sprayed arches of water to add to the already vast celebration. The ribbon on the bridge was cut by Mayor Bill Jennings of Cotter and Mayor Mary Jane Erwin of Flippin.

View of center span of bridge from riverbed, looking Southwest - Cotter Bridge, Spanning White River at U.S. Highway 62, Cotter, Baxter County, AR. Looking Northeast, general view of bridge - Cotter Bridge, Spanning White River at U.S. Highway 62, Cotter Baxter County, AR.

AR, Cotter 1972 geo map

Cotter Bridge Blueprints page 03, arch design. Cotter Bridge Blueprints page 6, arch design
Cotter Bridge Blueprints page 7, arch design Cotter Bridge Blueprints page 8, arch design.
Cotter Bridge Blueprints Page 09 - details of piers for arch spans. Cotter Bridge Blueprints Page 10 - details of abutment piers Cotter Bridge Blueprints Page 12 - details of piers for west approach girders.

Cotter Bridge, Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress, HAER ARK,3-COT,1-