First Ferry and Bridge

The Jefferson Boulevard viaduct replaced a rickety wooden bridge that often washed away during floods on the Trinity River. When this concrete arch bridge opened in nineteen twelve, it was the longest reinforced concrete span in the world. John Armstrong, a local real estate developer, pushed for the project because he owned land on the Oak Cliff side and needed a way to get people across the water. His gamble succeeded, and the city grew rapidly as streetcars crossed the river every day.