1913, Oak Forest Bridge

In October 1913, Gonzales County commissioners contracted with A.A. Alsbury & Company to construct a bridge over the Guadalupe River. Completed by February 1914, it connected the rural communities of Oak Forest and Monthalia, both established in the 19th century. A.A. Alsbury & Company utilized a Parker through truss design of the Ottumwa Bridge Company of Iowa for the bridge, which was originally 140 feet long and included Pratt trusses on either side of the main span. The Texas Department of Transportation relocated the main span to this site above Kerr Creek in 2004, and it now serves as an element of the community’s trail system and as a reminder of early transportation. (2005)