State Highway 35 Bridge at the West Fork of the San Jacinto River
Also known as: US 59 Bridge at the W. Fork of the San Jacinto R.; Hr0177-06-
Why it's listed
This steel truss bridge carries the northbound frontage road of US 59, formerly State Highway 35, across the West Fork of the San Jacinto River near Humble. Built between October 1930 and September 1931 by the Standard Construction Company of Houston, it has two 200-foot Parker through truss spans, 30 concrete girder approach spans and a nearby seven-span relief structure. The Texas Highway Department chose its T22-200 standard design, one of 25 developed for Parker trusses, and only three examples survive in Texas. At 1,499 feet overall, it is the longest Parker truss bridge in the state surviving from 1931 or earlier. The project cost just over $211,000, with $100,000 in federal funds. Later work included shortened approach railing after 1944 and companion bridges built in 1960-61 and 1971-74, which moved traffic off the old span and allowed its preservation. It was recognized for engineering significance at the state level.
Significance in brief: The bridge embodies the defining characteristics of a Texas Highway Department truss bridge, qualifying under Criterion C in Engineering at the state level. It uses the T22-200 standard design, of which only three examples survive in Texas. At 1,499 feet overall, it is the longest Parker truss bridge in Texas surviving from 1931 or earlier.
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 96001110, listed October 10, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | US 59, 1.4 mi. N of jct. with FM 1960, Humble |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | October 10, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001110 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1930-1931 |
| Architect / builder | Bridge Designer: Texas Highway Department; Truss Fabricator: Houston Structural Steel Company, owned and operated by the Mosher Steel & Machinery Company of Dallas, Texas; Bridge Builder: Standard Construction Company of Houston, Texas |
| Architectural style | Other: Parker through truss bridge |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in vehicular use on the northbound frontage road of US 59; a new bridge was planned for 1997-1999, with the original structure to be left in place for pedestrian use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.02673, -95.25807 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 96001110.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001112
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.