Did you know there's only one remaining railroad swinging bridge in Texas? The Riverside Swinging Bridge is over 100 years old, and it was a true feat of engineering for its time.
Built in the early 1900s along the route of the International & Great Northern Railroad Company, the Riverside Swinging Bridge is the last remaining swinging railroad bridge in the entire state of Texas.
The bridge officially earned a rightful spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
The bridge was constructed by the Wisconsin Bridge and Iron Company, based in Milwaukee, and the parts were shipped via rail to Texas.
A remarkable feat for its time, the Pratt truss structure has a swinging span of over 294 feet and measures more than 15 feet wide.
In the center of the bridge, you'll see a stone pillar whose purpose was to rotate the structure so that tall riverboats could pass.
The bridge was first turned during its inauguration ceremony, then once again during a 1926 flood to accommodate large logs and driftwood.
Believe it or not, the bridge was never used for traffic on the water, as barges and steamboats rarely traveled this far upriver.
In 1955, after the Missouri Pacific Railroad absorbed the line, the Riverside Swinging Bridge was welded into a fixed bridge, which it remains today.
If you have the chance to visit during autumn, we highly recommend doing so.
The scenery here is gorgeous in every season, but when fall leaves surround the bridge, it's an especially picturesque sight.
You'll find the bridge off of State Highway 19 in Huntsville, just northeast of the town of Riverside.
Have you ever seen the Riverside Swinging Bridge in person? If so, we'd love to hear your thoughts on it in the comments section below! Don't forget to check out our previous article for another historic bridge in Texas worth crossing.
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