The nearly one-hundred year-old low water bridge over Jenkins Creek on County Road 110 between Apple Road and Blackberry Road in Jasper County is in danger of being demolished and replaced with a new concrete bridge at a cost to taxpayers of $750,000 to $1,000,000. This bridge was constructed in 1920 and has been a gathering place for families for generations; it provides access to Jenkins Creek for fishing, swimming, picnicking, bird-watching and photography. All access to other local creeks have been cut off by the construction of new concrete "tall" bridges.

In response to the current trend of replacing these historic bridges with new, modern bridges, communities have spoken out in favor of saving the old and preserving them for posterity. Just last year, the Joplin City Council, at the request and petition of area residents, ruled in favor of keeping the one-lane low water bridge that crosses Shoal Creek at McIndoe Park. That historic bridge was built in 1919, making it essentially the same age as our Jenkins Creek bridge. A newer, safer, modern bridge will be built further up Shoal Creek, out of sight of the old bridge, thus preserving the beautiful, scenic view of the park from the old bridge while still providing a safe crossing of Shoal Creek during times of high water. It should be noted that such a bridge already exists for residents of the Gem/Moss Springs community, on Country Road 100, which is also the direct access point for Interstate 44.

A not-for-profit website, bridgehunter.com, is dedicated to preserving bridges in middle America both in reality, and in an internationally searchable database. The site states that we should not bulldoze bridges just because they are old, “we should certainly save what we can. If it costs the same (or in some cases, less) to rehabilitate rather than replace, let's do it. If a bridge must be replaced, then let's try to give it some other use, such as a pedestrian crossing.” Many of our old bridges are strong enough to survive many more years of use, granted that they receive proper care and maintenance. After all, the stone bridges built by the Romans have survived over 1,000 years, and many are still in use today.

Jasper County also wants to straighten the dogleg in the road at the bridge. This crook in the road provides a natural speed deterrent for traffic on this rural route, and is necessary to prevent accidents, especially for cars that might drive into flood waters that cross the road on the south side of the proposed bridge. Spring-fed Jenkins Creek does escape its banks during fall and spring rains, and the water flows not only across the bridge, but the road, as well. A new bridge would not prevent this from happening; the road will still flood. A new, safe, elevated concrete bridge already spans Jenkins Creek on County Road 100, just one mile east. This road and bridge provide area residents easy access out of the area and to I-44 during times of flooding, so replacement costs for the low water bridge are unnecessary. The traffic across the Jenkins Creek bridge is extremely light, as well. In 2015, the estimated traffic flow across this bridge was only 50 cars per day. It is imprudent to spend up to one million dollars for 50 trips across the bridge per day.

The area at the low water bridge is full of natural beauty. Undoubtedly this contributes to its popularity, not only with local residents, but also with area photographers. It is not uncommon to see a photo shoot in progress when crossing the creek during the spring and summer months. The bridge and creek bank are also prime spots for viewing local wildlife including the Great Blue Heron, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, White-tailed Deer, wild turkey, mink, muskrat, raccoon, numerous aquatic species including frogs, fish, crayfish and mussels, and native flowering and non-flowering plants. A discerning eye can also easily spot numerous Permian fossils in the sedimentary and igneous rocks that make up the creek bank, and can occasionally spot a Native American arrowhead, spear point or other pre-historic tool.

Pre-historic. The Indians did this, too. Before there was a bridge. They came to the creek to fish, swim, bathe in the water, gather watercress, mussels and crawdads for supper, wash clothing, fill waterskins. After the Indians, the Settlers came. The wagons circled round the springs while the settlers took refreshment in the cool water. A local park and festival are named after them: The Moss Springs Old Settlers Picnic and Grounds.

Gathering at the creek is more than history, it’s a way of life for country people. It is our past, but it’s also our future. We look back and remember the past so that we may see forward more clearly. Restore and preserve the last remaining historic bridge in our community. It has survived nearly one hundred years. Help us save this piece of our local history for our posterity.