Regency Suspension Bridge
Why it's listed
A 1938 flood on the Colorado River destroyed the heavily used bridge at Regency, Texas. Mills and San Saba counties jointly hired the Austin Bridge Company of Dallas to replace it with a suspension bridge, built between February and October 1939. The span measures 340 feet between concrete and steel towers rising about 30 feet above the deck. Two cables of 475 strands of galvanized wire are anchored in concrete, and the lumber flooring hangs from them on turnbuckles. Work was done largely by hand with light equipment, using local labor on 60-hour weeks. The bridge reopened the link between San Saba and Brownwood, a route used to ship cotton and other farm products. It was nominated as one of the last suspension bridges still in use in Texas, even though it was younger than the usual age threshold, because it was thought likely to be destroyed. It has needed little maintenance, though painting and floor repair were noted.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is one of the last suspension bridges still in use in Texas. It was nominated despite being under 50 years old because it was likely to be destroyed soon. It also restored a transportation link used to ship cotton and other farm products after a 1938 flood destroyed the earlier bridge.
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 76002052, listed December 12, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 0.75 mi. S of Regency at Colorado River, Regency |
|---|---|
| County | Mills County |
| Listed | December 12, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76002052 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | February - October 1939 |
| Architect / builder | Austin Bridge Co., Dallas, TX |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a bridge owned jointly by Mills and San Saba counties; the form says it needs painting and floor repair but remains sound. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.41047, -98.84621 (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 76002052.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7307997
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.