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This Day in Arkansas History

March 20, 2003

Fred Darragh died at the age of eighty-six. Darragh was a Little Rock (Pulaski County) businessman known for his philanthropic support of Arkansas’s social justice organizations, libraries, and liberal political causes, along with his efforts to educate Arkansans about foreign countries and cultures. The Central Arkansas Library System’s Darragh Center for Intellectual Freedom and an annual lecture series at the library honor his decades of support.

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Memphis-Arkansas Memorial Bridge

The Memphis-Arkansas Memorial Bridge on Interstate 55 spanning the Mississippi River opened on December 17, 1949. Total cost of the steel structure bridge and accesses totaled $13.6 million. Increased traffic capacity of the bridge, which connects Arkansas with Tennessee at Memphis, greatly contributed to the growth of West Memphis (Crittenden County) as a major trucking center.

 

The Memphis-Arkansas Memorial Bridge on Interstate 55 spanning the Mississippi River opened on December 17, 1949. Total cost of the steel structure bridge and accesses totaled $13.6 million. Increased traffic capacity of the bridge, which connects Arkansas with Tennessee at Memphis, greatly contributed to the growth of West Memphis (Crittenden County) as a major trucking center.

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About the Encyclopedia

The CALS Encyclopedia of Arkansas is a free, authoritative source of information about the rich history, geography, and culture of Arkansas. It is updated regularly to ensure the people of Arkansas have an accurate and accessible resource to explore our heritage. We invite you to browse our text entries and media galleries to learn more about the people, places, events, legends, and lore of the 25th state. We are continually adding new entries, photographs, maps, videos, and audio files, so check back frequently to see what’s new.

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