Deweyville Swing Bridge
Also known as: Sabine River Bridge; National Bridge Inventory Structure # 2017600499901001
Why it's listed
Spanning the Sabine River between Deweyville, Texas, and Starks, Louisiana, this 327-foot bridge carries State Highway 12 across the state line. Built from 1936 to 1938 to replace a long-running ferry, it combines reinforced concrete approach spans with a 160-foot riveted steel plate girder swing span that pivots on a center pier. The Louisiana Highway Commission designed it and Forcum-James of Baton Rouge built it, using federal relief money during the Depression. The span was hand-operated with a large T wrench and was last opened in 1995. It is recognized as the oldest movable highway bridge in Texas and the oldest and longest of its swing-bridge type in the state. It also served as a link on the Evangeline Highway, an early named road promoted by the Good Roads Movement. Few changes have been made since construction, so the bridge retains its original form, materials and setting.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is the oldest and longest swing bridge of its type in Texas and a good representative of Depression-era bridge construction, built with federal relief funds as part of a bi-state program. It is also linked to transportation history as a crossing on the Evangeline Highway, an early named road of the Good Roads Movement.
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 11000346, listed June 8, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | TX 12 & LA 12 at Sabine R., Deweyville |
|---|---|
| County | Newton County |
| Listed | June 8, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000346 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1936-1938 |
| Architect / builder | Forcum-James Company, Baton Rouge, LA |
| Architectural style | OTHER: concrete girder and steel girder swing bridge |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a bridge; it has not opened since 1995 and the turning mechanism remains intact and operable, with traffic gates removed and some damage to concrete panels. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.30582, -93.74332 (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 11000346.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16960428
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.