Texas and New Orleans Railroad Bridge
Also known as: Site No. 618
Why it's listed
This three-part steel truss railroad bridge crosses the Colorado River at Wharton, Texas, on a northwest-southeast axis. A seven-part Camelback through truss forms the main section, with a six-panel Pratt through truss at each end. Rusticated limestone blocks form the pylons under each span, and a timber pier approach of roughly 100 feet carries the track across farmland on the north side. The date 1903 appears on the upper trusses of the main section. The bridge was built for the Texas and New Orleans Railroad, later bought by Southern Pacific, and it let the line extend service from Houston toward South Texas livestock ranches. The bridge was listed for its role in Wharton's community development. Rail connection opened the town to wider agricultural markets and brought in goods such as lumber, bricks and feed. It is one of two historic Colorado River bridges in Wharton. Although rusted and rarely used, it retains its integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge illustrates the bridge technology that let the Colorado River be spanned and connected Wharton to the national rail network. That connection supported agricultural markets, the arrival of goods and the town's early 20th century prosperity. It is also one of two remaining local resources from the railroad era and one of two historic Colorado River bridges in Wharton.
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 93000123, listed March 18, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Southern Pacific RR tracks, 0.25 mi. W of Old US 59, over the Colorado R., Wharton |
|---|---|
| County | Wharton County |
| Listed | March 18, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000123 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1903-1942 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Camelback Through/Pratt Through Truss |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in poor condition, heavily scarred with rust and rarely used; rail service to Wharton was discontinued around 1990. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.30763, -96.10671 (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 93000123.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002551
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.