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Port Arthur and Orange County connected by bridge
On this day in 1938, the bridge over the Neches River connecting Port
Arthur and Orange County was dedicated, replacing the Dryden Ferry. As a
result of a contest in 1957 it became known as the "Rainbow Bridge." The
bridge was financed by the county, state, and federal governments under
the Public Works Administration at a cost of $2,750,000. Beaumont
representatives opposed the bridge until a compromise of 176 feet
clearance was reached. The clearance was to allow the tallest ship
afloat at the time (the Navy dirigible tender USS Patoka) to pass
and reach Beaumont's upstream dock. This made the bridge the most
elevated highway bridge over tidal waters in the world and the largest
bridge built by the Texas Highway Department. No ship ever came close to
hitting the bottom of the bridge.
- Links to Related Handbook of Texas Online Articles
- RAINBOW BRIDGE
- PORT ARTHUR, TX
- BEAUMONT, TX
- NECHES RIVER
- TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
- Other Texas Day by Day Articles for This Date
- Hurricane devastates Galveston (1900)
- Frank Baldwin captures mysterious "white Indian" Tehan (1874)
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