The Waco Suspension Bridge crosses the Brazos River in Waco, Texas. It is a single-span suspension bridge with a main span of 475 feet (145 m). Opened in 1869, it contains nearly 3 million bricks. It is located north of Downtown Waco, connecting Indian Springs Park with M.L.K Jr. Park, which is north of the Brazos. Every year on Independence Day, the bridge serves as a place where thousands of locals gather to watch fireworks.
Before 1869, crossi...
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The Waco Suspension Bridge crosses the Brazos River in Waco, Texas. It is a single-span suspension bridge with a main span of 475 feet (145 m). Opened in 1869, it contains nearly 3 million bricks. It is located north of Downtown Waco, connecting Indian Springs Park with M.L.K Jr. Park, which is north of the Brazos. Every year on Independence Day, the bridge serves as a place where thousands of locals gather to watch fireworks.
Before 1869, crossing the Brazos River was a time-consuming and sometimes dangerous ordeal. The only way to cross the river was via ferry, and due to the location of Waco on the growing Chisholm Trail, local businessmen knew that a bridge was needed to support commerce. A charter was received from the state in 1866, with John A. Roebling and Son tapped to build. The construction was supervised by Thomas M. Griffith.
Due to lack of machine shops in the Waco area, getting the materials to the building site was a journey in itself. The nearest railroad was 100...
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