Angelina River Bridge

Angelina River Bridge 1986 Survey Information

• Site No.: L-0848
• Address: U.S. Highway 59
•  Name: Angelina River Bridge
• Date: 1935
• Architect/Builder: G. G. Wickline, Bridge Engineer.
• Condition: Fair; relatively few alterations.
• Description: Poured concrete bridge resting on concrete piers; square balusters and rails with chamfered edges; poured in sections approximately twenty-five feet long; marble reflectors on end stanchions; a second, parallel, but separate bridge was constructed for northbound one-way traffic.
• Significance: Good example of style and representative of public works projects during the 1930s. The Texas State Highway Department was formed in 1917 in order to take advantage of federal aid for road building. National legislation required that state cooperation must come through a state highway department (Webb 1952 I: 810). By 1921 Angelina County had embarked on a program of road improvement and construction of a system of highways. A bond election held on August 20, 1921 approved a one million dollar bond. The Angelina County Good Road Association adopted and mapped a list of roads to be constructed and improved from that bond issue. However, an old iron bridge across the Angelina River on current day U.S. 59 was left in place. The Texas Highway Department division office was moved from Beaumont to Lufkin on March 6, 1925. T. E. Hufman was the resident district engineer in 1937 (Boon 1937: 159). In 1935 the current division offices (Site No. L-0277) and the current concrete and steel span Angelina River Bridge were constructed. They were surveyed by this project and are included in this nomination. In 1935 the old iron bridge across the Angelina River on U.S. 59 was replaced by a concrete and steel span bridge (Boon 1937: 159). The cost of the bridge was $120,000. The improved access to Angelina County provided by this bridge was significant to two other federal programs approved for Angelina County in 1935. The National Forest Service had begun to acquire timberlands and the Civilian Conservation Corps had begun to establish its reforestation camps. It is nominated to the National Register. The significance is in the areas of commerce and transportation.