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Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Tuesday Then & Now: A Bridge and a Fair.

I've seen photos of this bridge before, but this is the first one that was clearly labeled.  "Town Cr. Bridge/Kerrville Tex"
This bridge was on Water Street and would have connect what is now Mosty's Garage and Gibson's.
There's a sign on the bridge that clearly says "$5.00 Fine," but I haven't been able to decipher the rest of the words.
There's something else important in this image.  If you look through the bridge, between the wagons, you can see the grandstand of the West Texas Fair; above the forward wagons is the "Art Department and Ladies Hall" building at the fair.  The West Texas Fair was quite a big deal in its day.
For years I've told people the West Texas Fair was about where the Wells Fargo Bank building is today, there at Five Points in Kerrville.  This photo proves it was not near that bank at all.  It looks to me like the old fair was nearer the Palmer/Starkey/Hamilton Streets area, near where they meet Hugo Street.
What do you think?
Thanks to James Partain for sharing this image with all of us.
Click on image to enlarge
Town Creek Bridge, Kerrville, around the turn of the last century.
Note the cottonwood tree above the lead horses. That tree recently blew down, didn't it?
The same roadway today, looking west toward Fitness First Sports.
For more information about Joe's book, please click here.

4 comments:

  1. what is that in the upper left corner of the old picture?

    ReplyDelete
  2. In reference to the sign, it looks like the first two words are: "No Jumping."

    I can't read the rest of the sign (and I'm not certain of the first two words).

    In the 1880's - 1890's, San Antonio had a bridge on Commerce Street. On each side of the bridge was a sign.

    The signs said that anyone who did not WALK their horses across the bridge would be fined.

    The sign was written in three languages: English, Spanish and German.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I saw something in the top left corner, too.

    After enlarging the photo, I've come to the conclusion that it is nothing more than damage to the photograph.

    ReplyDelete
  4. That is a great looking bridge.

    ReplyDelete

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