What's so controversial about a bridge? The Texas and Oklahoma governments managed to make mountains out of mole hills when a brand new, toll-free bridge was to be opened on the border between the two states in 1931.
Instead of building the new bridge, the Texas Highway Commission promised to buy the old toll bridge from the Red River Bridge Company for $60,000 ($847,052 in today's money) back in 1930. They went back on the promise, so the Red River Bridge Company obtained an injunction to keep the bridge from opening on July 10. Texas Governor Ross Sterling's reaction was to barricade the new free bridge from the Texas end.
On July 16, Oklahoma governor Bill Murray used the Louisiana Purchase treaty of 1803 to claim both sides of the river belonged to Oklahoma and ordered a highway crew to destroy the barricade. Sterling showed up with Texas Rangers to rebuild it, only to have Murray demolish the Oklahoma approach to the old bridge, making travel over the Red River impossible.
After more tense standoffs and government bills, the free bridge opened September 7, 1931. The situation gathered international attention and lead Hitler to believe the union was weakening due to American in-fighting.
