Petit Jean CCC Bridge - Civilian Conservation Corps on Waymarking.com

When the CCC began in 1933, there was virtually no established park system in Arkansas. Petit Jean,
Mt. Nebo, and Arkansas Post were the only parks in the state, but none were developed. Petit Jean was one
of the more extensive CCC park projects accomplished in Arkansas. The CCC work there encompassed a
broad range of work: such projects included the construction of a bathhouse, boat dock, cabins, lodge,
culverts, and trails. The work accomplished by the CCC at Petit Jean features a good cross-section of the
many types of CCC work done throughout the state. In 1937, the Petit Jean company won second place for
the "most nearly ideal camp in the Seventh Corps Area." The veterans' company that worked on Petit Jean
was judged by a visiting CCC official in 1934 as having the highest morale and best CCC camp in Arkansas. The official was quoted as saying "Co. #1781 stands out as a striking demonstration of what art and nature can do to make delightful surroundings."

A crew of 15 to 20 men began construction the bridge in the summer of 1933 and completed it in 1934. Nearly all the work was done by hand. A wooden arch was first constructed using heavy timbers. The rocks were then laid over this form. Once the keystone was dropped into place, the timbers were removed. The stones were lifted into place using a makeshift crane made of a block, tackle, two trees and a little ironwork made by a blacksmith.

To log this waymark include a picture of yourself with GPS and with the bridge in the background. Those who have no camera can receive credit by emailing the answer to this question, which is available near the waymark coordinates: When the bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990, it was one of how many remaining masonry arch bridges in Arkansas?

Information for this description was taken from "The Civilian Conservation Corps in Arkansas 1933 - 1942" by Sandra Taylor Smith, published by Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, and from a Petit Jean State Park display.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   11/27/2006 GEO*Trailblazer 1 visited it 09/27/2005 rklmbl visited it

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