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Texas Public Archaeology Network

Iron Truss Bridge Improvements, 1937-1938

Historic black and white photo of street bridge after the 1921 flood
St. Mary’s Street Bridge following the devastating flood of 1921. Witte Museum Collection.

Iron Truss Bridge

Agency: National Youth Administration

Date: 1937-1938

Coordinates: 29.463309506, -98.469251208

This iron truss bridge was moved to Brackenridge Park in 1921. Built by the Berlin Iron Bridge Company of East Berlin, Connecticut, in 1890, the bridge spanned the San Antonio River at St. Mary’s Street. In 1921, the city suffered a catastrophic flood.  The bridge was moved to Brackenridge Park rather than be demolished as the city undertook a massive rebuilding of infrastructure in the city center. The bridge bears a plaque with the inscription “National Youth Administration, 1937-38” but it is unclear if the NYA worked on the bridge or the adjacent stone walls.

Sources:

NYA Plaque

Fisher, Lewis F. American Venice: The Epic Love Story of San Antonio’s River. San Antonio: Maverick Publishing Company, 2015.

Brackenridge Park, National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, National Park Service, 2011.

Steinfeldt, Cecilia. San Antonio Was: Seen Through a Magic Lantern. San Antonio: San Antonio Museum Association, 1978.

Witte Museum Archives