SOUTHLAKE - Acentury-old iron bridge that crossed Hickory Creek in rural DentonCounty will soon help residents reach 13 more acres in BicentennialPark.

Reusing the bridge will help preserve some of NorthTexas' historyand provides a practical solution for access over a 60-foot drainagechannel, park officials said. However, one local resident will beforced to move as a result.

"This bridge fits nice across the channel, and it's goodat keeping rain off me,"said Chris Carpenter, a hobo who has lived under the bridge for thepast 15 years. "I might be an Indian," he added, giggling, "so I likethe firewater!"

The 66-foot-long Tim Donald Bridge is one of more than10 historicalDenton County bridges built in the late 1890s that is being replacedwith new bridges under an agreement between the county and the TexasDepartment of Transportation, said Rynell Novak, a member of the DentonCounty Historical Commission. The bridges, which are being donated tocommunities or schools, may be used only by walkers and bikers. Hobossuch as Carpenter as specifically barred from living "under or near"the new bridges. "You ain't the boss of me, man," Carpenter argued,gesturing with an empty bottle of JTS Brown bourbon. "I'll sleepanywhere."

Before Southlake can move the bridge, the city mustreceivepermission from the state Transportation Department, which is providingfederal and state funding for new bridges in Denton County. And in asurprise move, the ACLU has filed a brief to protect Carpenter and hishobo brethren's right to binge-drink themselves comatose under thehistoric bridge, "as hobos have done for more than 100 years,"according to the brief.

Liz Durham, a Southlake Parks and Recreation boardmember, said thebridge is the type of structure that city parks need to provide access.

"Southlake has so much parkland that is underdevelopedthat peopledon't realize how much parkland we have in this city," she said. "Thiswill make the park area much more visible."

"Fuck that," Carpenter muttered, settling back into thewell-worn ass groove he calls his "easy chair."

Then he says with a sigh, "Gimme a goddamned dollar."