This Quiet Little Bridge in New Harmony Was A Big Deal At One Time

There is an old bridge over Ash Creek in New Harmony that has been getting some new black top. This peaceful little bridge was a big deal when it was first constructed as part of the Arrowhead Highway.

Automobiles were just becoming a thing and roads were made by citizens. It was a time in Utah when, to enjoy your full citizenship rights, you had to pay towards better roads or actually go work on them yourself.

The Road to Progress: Salt Lake City to Los Angeles

Starting around 1910 there was a big push to build a road from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles. Cars were coming on the scene and there were enthusiasts who would travel dirt roads as a kind of sport.

Charles H. Bigelow was one of these enthusiasts and was all about getting this road built. It was called the Arrowhead highway and was named for a mountain along the route in California that looked like an arrowhead.

Constructing History: The Arrowhead Highway

The roads name eventually became Highway 91 and came through Southern Utah around the Gorge and up the Black Ridge. One spot near New Harmony needed to cross Ash Creek. In 1925 the largest bridge in Utah at the time was built across the river bed.

It had the longest span of any bridge in the intermountain west and was a big improvement to the road. They celebrated with local politicians and citizens gathered for the grand opening and then held a dance on the bridge.

The Cost of Citizenship: Understanding the Poll Tax

The bridge cost $40,000 at the time and would have cost more if not for the Poll Tax that existed in Utah at the time. These taxes were popular across the country and basically said, if you wanted to enjoy citizenship like voting, you had to give back.

You could either pay the tax that would improve roads or you could take a couple days a month and work on them. These taxes were outlawed with the 15th Amendment that stated that citizens couldn't be denied their right to vote.

Read More: History Behind the Ruins You See Driving To Gunlock Reservoir

You can still see the Ash Creek Bridge in all its glory if you get off the freeway and drive through New Harmony. It would also be alright if you stopped and did some dancing.