Houston Street Viaduct
Also known as: Dallas-Oak Cliff Viaduct
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Why it's listed
Extending 6,562 feet across the Trinity River, the Houston Street Viaduct links downtown Dallas with the Oak Cliff suburb. Built in 1910 and 1911, it consists of fifty-one concrete arches, a 100-foot steel girder over the river channel, and concrete bents and girders near the approaches. The May 1908 flood, the worst in Dallas history, washed away most bridges and isolated Oak Cliff for a week, prompting the county to approve a $600,000 bond issue. Ira G. Hedrick's design was chosen from fifteen bids, and Corrigan, Lee and Halpin of Kansas City built it for about $570,000, or $2.10 per square foot. The central span has special "shoes" that carry arch thrust through the piers, allowing 90 feet of clearance for a proposed canal to the Gulf of Mexico that never materialized. It was the first of five viaducts joining north and south Dallas, and it remains largely intact and in use as a major traffic route.
Significance in brief: It was the first of five concrete and steel viaducts built to connect the north and south sections of Dallas, and is one of the longest reinforced-concrete arch viaducts ever built. It was built with county funds at a low cost of $2.10 per square foot, after the 1908 flood cut off Oak Cliff. Its steel girder span with special "shoes" was designed to allow for future ocean-going vessels.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 84001641, listed August 9, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Houston St. roughly between Arlington St. and Lancaster Ave., Dallas |
|---|---|
| County | Dallas County |
| Listed | August 9, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84001641 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1900- (built 1910-1911) |
| Architect / builder | Corrigan, Lee, and Halpin, Contractors, Kansas City, Missouri; Hedrick and Cochrane, Consulting Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri; J.F. Witt, Dallas Co. Engineer |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition, unaltered and still in use as a major traffic artery; a concrete handrail was added in the early 1930s and stairs to Reunion Arena parking areas more recently. |
| Acreage | 8 |
| Coordinates | 32.76822, -96.81025 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 84001641.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q65794805
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.