Clifton Whipple Truss Bridge
Clifton, Bosque County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Built in 1884 by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company of Canton, Ohio, at a cost of $6,465, this bridge spans 150 feet across the North Bosque River. This type of bridge, called a Whipple truss, was named for its designer. One of the few remaining Whipple truss bridges in the state, it opened up travel routes from the south and west to the north and east. Withstanding many floods, the bridge provided an important transportation connection for Bosque County residents from 1884 to 1941 when traffic was routed west of the Bosque River to the newly constructed Highway 6. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1996
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built in 1884 by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company of Ohio for $6,465, this 150-foot span crosses the North Bosque River. It is a Whipple truss, a design named for its inventor and now rare in Texas. For nearly six decades it carried travelers and trade across the river, weathering repeated floods until a new highway rerouted traffic in 1941.
Why it matters
Surviving iron truss bridges like this one document the engineering that opened rural America to reliable travel and commerce in the nineteenth century.
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Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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