[Texas Historical Commission Marker: 1931 Free Bridge Controversy]

Description

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for 1931 Free Bridge Controversy in Grayson County, Texas. Text: As a result of late 1920s legislation in Texas and Oklahoma, the two states cooperated on a project to build free highway bridges spanning the Red River to accommodate rapidly increasing highway traffic. One of these bridges was near Colbert Bridge, a toll bridge descended from the mid-19th century Colbert's Ferry. When the free bridge was ready to open in early July 1931, the Red River Bridge Company, operators of Colbert Bridge, obtained a federal restraining order against the opening of the free … continued below

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 3089 x 2019 px.

Creation Information

West, Carolyn Effie 2011-12/2012-03.

Context

This photograph is part of the collection entitled: Texas History Collection and was provided by the Private Collection of Carolyn West to The Portal to Texas History, a digital repository hosted by the UNT Libraries. It has been viewed 265 times, with 13 in the last month. More information about this photograph can be viewed below.

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Private Collection of Carolyn West

The private collection of Carolyn West consists of a photographs of historical markers and related buildings in Grayson County.

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Description

Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for 1931 Free Bridge Controversy in Grayson County, Texas. Text: As a result of late 1920s legislation in Texas and Oklahoma, the two states cooperated on a project to build free highway bridges spanning the Red River to accommodate rapidly increasing highway traffic. One of these bridges was near Colbert Bridge, a toll bridge descended from the mid-19th century Colbert's Ferry.
When the free bridge was ready to open in early July 1931, the Red River Bridge Company, operators of Colbert Bridge, obtained a federal restraining order against the opening of the free bridge until contractual payments had been made to compensate the company for their anticipated loss. Texas governor Ross Sterling complied, but Oklahoma governor William Murray, who was not a party to the contract between the Texas Highway Commission and the Red River Bridge Company, asked Governor Sterling to join him in protesting the injunction. Sterling refused. Murray ordered the removal of barricades erected by the Texas Highway Commission.
For twelve hours, traffic flowed freely across the bridge. By July 17, Texas Rangers guarded the southern side. Oklahoma highway crews rerouted traffic from Colbert Bridge to Preston Bridge several miles away and dismantled the approach to the Colbert Bridge from Oklahoma.
As tensions came close to breaking in the summer heat, the injunction was suspended; the Texas Rangers opened the bridge on July 25. The new bridge was officially opened on Labor Day, 1931. It served until 1995, when it was replaced by a new structure. A portion of the free bridge was placed in a park in Colbert, Oklahoma, about two miles north. (1998)

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 3089 x 2019 px.

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  • [Photograph of Red River Bridges], freebridge 2

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Texas History Collection

Drawn from collections at the UNT Libraries and various partners, these materials about Texas history include artifacts, books, documents, manuscripts, photographs, maps, letters, and more.

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References : [Photograph of Red River Bridges], freebridge 2

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Creation Date

  • 2011-12/2012-03

Covered Time Period

Start & End Dates

  • 1931 - 2012

Added to The Portal to Texas History

  • Nov. 1, 2012, 8:27 p.m.

Description Last Updated

  • April 22, 2020, 6:07 p.m.

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Yesterday: 0
Past 30 days: 13
Total Uses: 265
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West, Carolyn Effie. [Texas Historical Commission Marker: 1931 Free Bridge Controversy], photograph, 2011-12/2012-03; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth256763/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Private Collection of Carolyn West.

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