To commemorate the recent renovation, representatives of the city and Tonganoxie City Council, Tonganoxie VFW and Tonganoxie FFA gathered Thursday for a ribbon cutting on the west entrance to the bridge.

Volunteers constructed Earl Parsons Bridge over Tonganoxie Creek in 1996. It connects VFW Park to the overflow Tonganoxie Water Park parking area. With the construction of the Chieftain Trail walking trail, the bridge connects to other points through a part of the trail system west of the park.

The bridge was an all-volunteer project using donated materials, labor and donated funds in 1996.

But the bridge desperately has been in need of repair.

Tonganoxie VFW Post 9271 approached the Tonganoxie City Council at its July 5 meeting this past year requesting assistance with bridge repair. The council approved $8,900 of 2023 funds toward the bridge renovation project.

Tonganoxie FFA donated $3,500 from its inaugural FFA Alumni UTV Dice Run in 2022. FFA now goes just by its acronym, but long has been known as Future Farmers of America.

The remainder of the required money came from funds raised by the VFW food booth at the Leavenworth County Fair (selling the famous VFW Fried Oreos) along with burgers, drinks and hotdogs. Funds also have come from the annual VFW Car Show and individual community member donations.

Angell’s Excavating of Tonganoxie did the construction work. To help keep the project under budget, Kelly Angell drove to Arkansas himself and picked up the special-order composite decking material, according to Andy Burke with Tonganoxie VFW.

The bridge and VFW Park has been a notable part of the community nature walk.

Through the years many graduation and homecoming pictures have been captured on the bridge (including an occasional homecoming candidates photo The Mirror takes each year).