Tennessee State Parks officials today announced the bridge across Lake Placid at Chickasaw State Park will be named the Joe Armour Memorial Bridge honoring the former park superintendent. 

Armour, who was superintendent from 1963 until his death in 1969, had the original idea to build a foot bridge across the lake connecting the recreation area and the camping area. The original bridge was completed in 1971 and was replaced with the current bridge in 2018. Other amenities added to the park during Armour’s time as superintendent included the lighted baseball field and a restaurant.

“Chickasaw State Park owes a lot of its appeal to Joe Armour,” said Park Manager Ron Elder. “He loved the park and its many visitors, and he was committed to making the park experience the best it could be. We are very proud to have the bridge named for him.”

Naming the bridge for Armour honors his contributions to the continued management, improvement, and enjoyment of the park. State parks officials announced the honor at a ceremony today at the park.

Chickasaw State Park, which is on some of the highest terrain in West Tennessee, was named for the Chickasaw tribe who once inhabited the area. The park is along the border of Hardeman and Chester counties and was one of Tennessee’s New Deal-era state parks. The territory became a state park in 1955 when all park duties returned to state control and the park and forest lands were deeded to the state.