State Highway 19 Bridge at Trinity River
Also known as: Css 0109-08-023
Why it's listed
Carrying State Highway 19 across the Trinity River between Walker and Trinity counties, this 2,884-foot bridge was built in 1939-40 to replace a narrow 1912 wooden truss bridge. Texas Highway Department engineers designed it, and P&B Construction built it as a joint project with federal and county partners. It has three Parker through-truss spans, two of 250 feet and one of 150 feet, plus 51 steel I-beam approach spans with a decorative metal picket railing. Only three Texas bridges have 250-foot Parker truss spans, and its approaches run far longer than those on the state's other surviving Parker truss bridges. It was bypassed by a four-lane bridge in 2003 but remains open as an alternate crossing after repair and repainting. Its listing recognizes it as an intact example of Texas highway engineering, with no major alterations.
Significance in brief: The bridge embodies the defining characteristics of a Texas Highway Department Parker through-truss bridge and is nominated under Criterion C in engineering at the state level. It is one of only three Parker through-truss bridges in Texas with 250-foot spans, and its approach spans are exceptionally long. It has had no major alterations and retains a high degree of integrity.
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 04001290, listed December 1, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | TX 19, on the Trinity/Walker county line, Riverside |
|---|---|
| County | Walker County |
| Listed | December 1, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04001290 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1940 |
| Architect / builder | Bridge designer: Texas Highway Department; Bridge builder: P & B Construction |
| Architectural style | Parker through-truss bridge, Steel I-beam bridge |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Bypassed in 2003 by a new four-lane bridge to the south but remains open as an alternate crossing; repaired and repainted in 2002-2003. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Coordinates | 30.86743, -95.39480 (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 04001290.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q55315825
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.