Duane Allen
Apr 27, 2014
Oak Ridge Boys' member Duane Allen received a hometown honor near Paris, TX on Tuesday, April 15th, when a bridge and road were named after him.
Duane and his family traveled to Lamar County, TX where the bridge and road dedication ceremony was presented by county Judge Chuck Superville and county Commissioner Lawrence Malone.
The 'Duane Allen Memorial Bridge' crosses Big Sandy Creek and is located just a few hundred yards away from where Allen was born. The bridge crosses the creek that ran through the middle of the Allen family farm where he grew up picking cotton as a young boy. Duane said he has vivid memories of learning to fish and swim in Big Sandy Creek, and bike-riding over the bridge each day on his way to school.
Two blue signs reading 'Duane Allen Road' were placed on each end of the County Road. At Duane's request, the new signs were placed in conjunction with the previous road signs, so local residents will not have to change their address.
"This is a very special honor to me; It means more to me than if it were to be the Golden Gate Bridge," said Duane. "I did not know until our bus turned down the small road that the bridge was on 'our' road; it was a complete surprise. I thought it would be south of our place, but when we turned down 'our' road, my stomach just about came out of my body."
Watch a video of the ceremony here , and for more information about the Oak Ridge Boys, visit oakridgeboys.com.
By: Misti Douglas