- cross-posted to:
- [email protected]
- cross-posted to:
- [email protected]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_River_Bridge_War
The Red River Bridge War was a boundary conflict between the U.S. states of Oklahoma and Texas over an existing toll bridge and a new free bridge crossing the Red River.
On July 10, 1931, the Red River Bridge Company obtained an injunction against the Texas Highway Commission (which oversaw the Texas Highway Department, now Texas Department of Transportation), keeping it from opening the new bridge.[1] The company said that the highway commission had promised in July 1930 to buy the old toll bridge for $60,000 (equal to $1,156,375 today).[2] In reaction to the injunction, Texas Governor Ross S. Sterling ordered that the new free bridge be barricaded at the Texas end.[1]
Governor Sterling sent Adjutant General William Warren Sterling and three Texas Rangers to the new bridge to defend the Texas Highway Department workers enforcing the injunction, and rebuilt the barricade that night. The next day, Oklahoma crews under Governor Murray’s order demolished the Oklahoma approach to the toll bridge, rendering that bridge impassable.[1]
The next day, Governor Murray declared martial law at the site, enforced by Oklahoma National Guardsmen, and personally appeared at the site, armed with a revolver,[1] hours before a Muskogee, Oklahoma, court issued an injunction prohibiting him from blocking the northern toll bridge approach.
No it ain’t fucking OK over here man.


