Fred Robinson Bridge: "a great asset and convenience" after thirty-nine-year effort

Steve Edwards

BCJ News

Reporter's note: A reader asked me to write about the Fred Robinson Bridge and how it's completion changed life in north central Montana. The bridge was dedicated in 1959 and described as the "crowning achievement of the Montana Highway Department's bridge program during the 1950's." The bridge provided a much needed connection between the north and south sides of the Missouri River between the areas of Malta and Grass Range.

The dedication ceremony for the bridge, on August 16, 1959, was a testament to the possibilities envisioned by residents both north and south along the affected stretch of the Missouri River. Estimates of attendees at the day long ceremony ran to 10,000. The Governor, during his speech, described the Sunday gathering as "one of the biggest shindigs that this state has seen for years" as celebrants arrived by vehicle, plane and boat.

The bridge completed a four-decade effort to open up north central Montana with a bridge across the Missouri River. This is part of the story of the Fred Robinson Bridge and how it changed life along this part of the Hi-Line.

The push for a bridge began in the 1920's

In the early 1920's there were only six seasonal ferries, and no bridges, between Fort Benton and Fort Peck along the Missouri River. Community and economic leaders, on both sides of the Missouri, formed a committee in 1920 to promote the construction of a bridge between Malta and Lewistown. By 1929 the committee convinced the Montana legislature to direct the highway commission (the group that officially approved bridge locations but not the financing) to begin preliminary work for bridges over the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers.

By 1931 the highway commission had recommended two potential sites to the legislature for the Missouri River bridge-the Power Plant site south of Hays and the Rocky Point site south of Malta. Rocky Point, because of the lower cost to build access roads to the site, was the preferred site. About that time Montana succumbed to the Great Depression and the bridge idea was shelved.

Fred Robinson, who migrated from Tennessee to the Malta area in 1911, had prospered as a business owner and launched a successful political career, having been elected to the state senate in 1936. In the mid-1940's Robinson got the legislature to reactivate the bridge proposal that languished through the depression. It was determined that since the bridge would be located on federal land within the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, the federal government would pay the full cost of construction.

Sensing possible success to get a bridge, the local communities stepped up their campaign to promote the idea for a bridge (see hand drawn graphic that appeared in several local newspapers in 1950). Bids were let in 1955 but were above the amount budgeted. Finally, in 1956 a successful bid was made by a construction company based in Wyoming and construction began.

Jon Axline, the historian for the Montana Department of Transportation, described the construction of the bridge as a "logistical nightmare." Major bridge materials came by rail to Roy, thirty miles away, and had to be hauled to the construction site over a road that was "mostly a trail of the worst kind of gumbo imaginable." Construction shutdowns because of supply shortages were common, with one delay of steel for the bridge lasting six months because of impassable roads.

Workers were housed at the isolated construction site. The contractor drilled a well, laid water and sewer pipes and had a small electric light plant to improve living conditions for the workers. The contractor's superintendent said, despite the efforts to make life bearable at the site, "I had more trouble keeping experienced men on this job than on any job I ever built."

Despite the delays and challenges, the bridge opened for traffic on March 27, 1959. The cost of the structure was $716,633.75. That didn't include the cost of the access roads, which turned out to be another challenge for construction and maintenance workers.

Bridge dedication: Sunday, August 16, 1959.

The August 13 edition of the "Chinook Opinion" reported that planners for the Missouri River bridge dedication were preparing for "4,000 or more people." Senator Robinson had agreed to provide the beef for a barbeque to feed the celebrants before the official dedication began after lunch. Several local newspapers noted, "The crowd formed six lines at 11 o'clock and more than two hours later the lines seemed just as long as ever."

Area towns helped with the preparations. Harlem provided 60 gallons of Kool-Aid and $50 "to help in reimbursement of expenses." Chinook's contribution for the barbecue was "two cases of catsup, one case of mustard, 2,000 coffee cups and equipment to boil the coffee." The coffee equipment was provided by the Chinook National Guard Company and they reportedly brewed 50 gallons of coffee during the lunch.

Rather than a 'ribbon cutting,' Governor Aronson and Senator Robinson used a two-man saw to cut a cottonwood log in half-a symbolic grand opening gesture. Mounted on horses the Governor and Harry Burns, a Chinook resident and chairman of the state highway commission, led a parade across the new bridge. The Governor was on a palomino owned by F.C. Ekegran of Harlem.

In the parade, following the Governor and Burns, was Senator Robinson, in a car, then bands from Lewistown and Malta. The Milk River Riders Saddle Club of Harlem, of which Burns was a member, was also part of the parade. Judy Chapman, from Chinook, said she was a rider with the Saddle Club at the celebration. She recalled, "We were all trying to keep the horses calm for the parade and missed the sawing of the log and the first part of the ceremony on the bridge."

After the parade, now early afternoon, the event moved to a shady area set up for the speeches. And there was a long list of speakers from the Governor to the state highway engineer. Robinson was recognized by nearly every speaker as "the man with the dream for a bridge." It was later that the bridge was actually named in Robinson's honor, but there was never any question of the role the 70-year old state senator played to make the bridge happen.

Estimates had the size of the crowd between 10,000 and 15,000 at the dedication-whatever the actual numbers it was more than the original plan. A temporary parking lot on the south side of the river, was said to hold 3,000 vehicles and it was packed. Others parked along the road on both sides of the river. The "Opinion" reported a local caravan of 75 cars, many with placards reading "We're from Chinook," went as a group to the event. Guests flew from Harlem and Chinook to an air strip at the bridge site. Alex Pitsch, a pilot from Harlem, crashed after an unsuccessful take off attempt from the bridge area. No one was hurt but the plane was heavily damaged. Locals describe how the bridge "changed our geography"

Before the Fred Robinson Bridge, a trip to Billings usually involved going to Fort Benton, crossing the highway river bridge there and then backtracking south and east. And some roads on that route were not good alternatives because of their condition. Over the years, most of the routes to the bridge were paved and are now maintained.

Most everyone who remembered how things changed after the bridge focused on a couple of themes. One, the destination city for supplies, services, and major medical treatment was no longer only Great Falls. Ranchers and farmers commented that the opening of the south markets meant they had more choices in how to market ag products, especially grain. Doctors in this area began to make referrals to clinics and hospitals in Billings.

Perhaps a larger bonus was the ability to get parts and products quicker. John Haldeman, who ranches south of Chinook, said before the bridge getting farm machinery parts often took several days if the parts came from Billings. The bridge reduced the wait. A former trucker said, "The bridge opened up much of the eastern part of Montana for our trucks to more easily serve markets in the Billings area." Ralph Snider, from the Hogeland area, said the Pierce Packing plant in Billings was one of a few places to sell hogs and the bridge greatly improved by prospects for pork producers.

In remarks during the dedication, the Minister of Highways for Saskatchewan told the crowd, "The bridge is another link in the chain of goodwill between our countries." Promoters of international tourism and commerce, once limited by the lack of a river crossing in the area, began to find ways to incorporate the new bridge into their marketing strategies.

One interesting example of how marketing changed was evident in an August 13, 1959 ad in the "Opinion" placed by the Billings Business College. The advertisement was aimed at attracting students for the upcoming September term. Titled "Your Road...to business opportunity and success!" the ad extolled how students could live in a metropolitan city, with part-time employment opportunities and recreational facilities, "while you secure training for a business career" and only a "few hours from home." Like so many new possibilities, it was all because of the new bridge over the Missouri.

Here's one interesting but somewhat mysterious connection between the bridge and Blaine County. Both the "Harlem News" and the "Chinook Opinion," in the issues covering the bridge dedication, reported "The first person to walk across the bridge after the log was cut and the bridge officially opened, was Mrs. Lena O'Neil, long-time resident of Chinook (Blaine County)." No one seems to be able to explain who Mrs. O'Neil was and why she was the first pedestrian to cross the bridge. Any readers with more information about this person and her story are encouraged to leave a message for the reporter at the "Blaine County Journal."