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The Brackenridge Park Bridge is a historic iron Lenticular truss bridge located in
San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...
. The bridge was built in 1890 and remains open for vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Composed of a single truss of just over , it is one of the shortest lenticular truss bridges in the country and one of just eight located west of the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...
. The bridge is a contributing property to the Brackenridge Park Historic District, which was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in August 2011.


History

The earliest reference to a bridge spanning the
San Antonio River The San Antonio River is a major waterway that originates in central Texas in a cluster of springs in midtown San Antonio, about 4 miles north of downtown, and follows a roughly southeastern path through the state. It eventually feeds into the ...
was made in 1736, with river crossings in the city remaining largely dependent on wooden bridges for over 130 years. These wooden bridges, often crudely built, were susceptible to rot and often damaged during flooding events. It was not until 1868 that the first iron bridge was constructed in the city. This was an pedestrian footbridge built by Boston-based Moseley Ironworks at St. Mary’s Street. While additional iron bridges were planned by the city in the 1870s and 1880s, budget constraints limited such construction. During these two decades, only one additional iron bridge was constructed. This was the Houston Street bridge, built between 1871 and 1873. It was not until more than 15 years after the completion of this bridge before additional iron bridges would be built in the city. The Brackenridge Park Bridge was originally designed and built by the
Berlin Iron Bridge Company The Berlin Iron Bridge Company was a Berlin, Connecticut company that built iron bridges and buildings that were supported by iron. It is credited as the architect of numerous bridges and buildings now listed on the U.S. National Register of Hi ...
in 1890, one of five such iron bridges commissioned by the city from the company in that year. The bridge was originally located Downtown at St. Mary's Street, where it spanned the San Antonio River. Atop the truss, the bridge is decorated with a gold-colored plaque and ornamentation. The plaque includes the name of the builder, city engineer, mayor, and the date of construction. The decision by Mayor Bryan Callaghan Jr. to place his name on the plaque in gold letters stirred local controversy, with his re-election efforts becoming known as the "Letters of Gold Campaign." In the aftermath of the destructive 1921 floods, massive rebuilding work was conducted to improve downtown infrastructure. In 1925, as part of these efforts, the bridge was moved to its current location at Brackenridge Road within Brackenridge Park, where it still crosses the San Antonio River. Three of the sister bridges also constructed by the Berlin Iron Bridge Company remain downtown at the Augusta, Crockett, and South Presa street river crossings.


Photos

File:DETAIL OF BRACKENRIDGE PARK BRIDGE, BUILDER'S PLATE, LOOKING WEST-SOUTHWEST. - Brackenridge Park Bridge, Spanning San Antonio River at Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, Bexar County HAER TX,15-SANT,46-9.tif, The
Berlin Iron Bridge Co. The Berlin Iron Bridge Company was a Berlin, Connecticut company that built iron bridges and buildings that were supported by iron. It is credited as the architect of numerous bridges and buildings now listed on the U.S. National Register of His ...
plaque on the top of the bridge. File:GENERAL VIEW OF BRACKENRIDGE PARK BRIDGE, NORTH SIDE, LOOKING SOUTH. - Brackenridge Park Bridge, Spanning San Antonio River at Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, Bexar County, TX HAER TX,15-SANT,46-2.tif, The North side of the bridge, looking South. File:VIEW OF BRACKENRIDGE PARK BRIDGE, FLOOR SYSTEM AND LATERAL BRACING, LOOKING SOUTH. - Brackenridge Park Bridge, Spanning San Antonio River at Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, Bexar HAER TX,15-SANT,46-6.tif, Floor system and lateral bracing of the bridge.


See also

*
List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Texas __NOTOC__ This is a list of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in the U.S. state of Texas. Bridges Notes References {{HAER list, structure=bridge *List *List Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Te ...
*
List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas This is a list of bridges currently on the National Register of Historic Places in the U.S. state of Texas. References {{NRHP bridges Texas Bridges Bridges A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body ...


References


External links


Photos, Facts, and Additional Information
at Bridgehunter (Historic Bridge Foundation)
Photos and Bridge Facts
at HistoricBridges.org * {{National Register of Historic Places in Texas Buildings and structures in San Antonio Transportation in San Antonio Bridges completed in 1890 Truss bridges in the United States Historic American Engineering Record in Texas Lenticular truss bridges in the United States Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas National Register of Historic Places in Bexar County, Texas