Sarto Old Iron Bridge

Prior to 1913, floodwaters from the nearby Mississippi, Atchafalaya, and Red Rivers frequently forced the evacuation of people, livestock and property in the Big Bend area. The Avoyelles Parish Police Jury in 1915 authorized the construction of an elevated permanent bridge over Bayou des Glaises at Sarto Lane. The steel truss swing bridge was completed in 1916 for vehicular and boat traffic. This parish landmark is a rare surviving example of its type and is honored by being the first bridge in Louisiana listed on the National Register of Historic Places.