Brazoria Bridge – Brazoria TX

City:
Brazoria, TX

Site Type:
Infrastructure and Utilities, Roads, Bridges, and Tunnels

New Deal Agencies:
Public Works Funding, Public Works Administration (PWA)

Started:
1938

Completed:
1939

Designer:
J.G. McKenzie

Contractor:
Keliher Construction Company

Quality of Information:
Very Good

Site Survival:
Extant

Description

Text from the state historical marker:
The town of Brazoria began in 1828 as a port and trading center in Stephen F. Austin’s colony. Partially burned in 1836 during the Texas Revolution, it rebuilt and served as county seat until 1897. To escape floods and to enjoy a better life, the townspeople moved to “New Town” near the St. Louis, Brownsville, and Mexico Railway in 1912. This town became “Old Town.” The first traffic bridge, built across the Brazos River in this historic region in 1912, provided a vital link between eastern and western Brazoria County. Falling victim to the elements and lack of maintenance, the wood-decked bridge fell into the river in the 1930s. Built in 1939, during the Great Depression, using local labor, county bond money, and funds from the Public Works Administration, this Brazoria bridge sustains the historic transportation route. Nicknamed “The Bridge That Goes to Nowhere” before the soil embankments were built, this 1124′ concrete and steel bridge has three Parker through truss spans. It is supported by concrete-filled caisson and concrete piling, and approaches composed of 14 concrete-supported I-beams with steel guard rails. An important example of its style, this Brazoria bridge is a significant part of Brazoria County history.

The construction of the Brazoria Bridge appears to have been an unusual project in that the funding sources deviated from the typical approach. The bridge is a product of an early partnership between the federal government and the county government, without the assistance of the state. The PWA agreed to pay 45 percent of the bridge’s cost. Brazoria County raised its share of the construction cost of the Brazoria Bridge, originally estimated to be about $175,000, through the issuance of road bonds in 1938.

The bridge is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was listed on June 14, 1991. Reference number 91000783. A new bridge for vehicle traffic was built, but the 1939 bridge remains and is used as a hike and bike trail.

Source notes

Texas Historic Sites Atlashttps://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/viewform.asp?atlas_num=5039009531&site_name=Brazoria+Bridge&class=5000 Texas Historic Sites Atlas https://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/viewform.asp?atlas_num=2091000783&site_name=Brazoria+Bridge&class=2002

Site originally submitted by Larry Moore on April 25, 2015.

Location Info


0.9 mi. E of TX 36 on TX 332
Brazoria, Texas Brazoria County

Coordinates: 29.044415, -95.569113

Contribute to this Site

We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal site.

Submit More Information or Photographs for this New Deal Site

One comment on “Brazoria Bridge – Brazoria TX

  1. Rhonda Lindsey

    The state has begun destruction of the bridge in August 2023 due to unavailable financing to repair the bridge for safety reasons. The biking and walking trail never came to fruition.

Join the Conversation

Please note:

  • We are not involved in the management of New Deal sites and have no information about visits, hours or rentals.
  • This page shows all the information we have for this site; if you have new information or photos to share, click the button above.

Your email address will not be published, shared, or sold.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Contribute to this Site

We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal project site.

Submit More Information or Photographs for this New Deal Site

One comment on “Brazoria Bridge – Brazoria TX

  1. Rhonda Lindsey

    The state has begun destruction of the bridge in August 2023 due to unavailable financing to repair the bridge for safety reasons. The biking and walking trail never came to fruition.

Join the Conversation

Please note:

  • We are not involved in the management of New Deal sites and have no information about visits, hours or rentals.
  • This page shows all the information we have for this site; if you have new information or photos to share, click the button above.

Your email address will not be published, shared, or sold.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.