February 2, 1929

The new Baring Cross Bridge opened in Little Rock (Pulaski County) to a huge community celebration. In April 1927, rains had soaked the Arkansas River Valley and caused the Arkansas River to flood. As the floodwaters reached Little Rock, the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company placed coal cars on the old bridge for ballast, but the bridge washed away on April 21. The original bridge was a single-track bridge with a swing navigation span, and it was built with iron and wood. The new Baring Cross Bridge, acquired by Union Pacific in 1997, is a modern steel double-track bridge with a lift navigation span. It remains one of the busiest railroad bridges in the country.