Historic US 90 · Louisiana
US 90 Sabine Memorial Bridge
Original archive photographs and commentary
The bridge is gone, but the archive follows its crossing from old photographs to surviving landings and the dedication pedestal. Contemporary views from the original visits sit alongside historical photographs credited to The Memory Bank and Dr. Howard C. Williams.
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Looking across the Sabine at the former crossing.
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See the old highway, photograph by photograph.
Scan the photographs and captions, or settle into the larger slideshow.
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US 90 archive photographs
The bridge and its swing mechanism
Photographs: The bridge and its swing mechanism
From the original collection
US 90 archive photographs
The bridge landings and dedication pedestal
Photographs: The bridge landings and dedication pedestal
From the original collectionThe bridge landings and dedication pedestal — view 1
Standing on the west side of the river we can see were the bridge crossed. The bridge actually landed on the west side just to my right, but a docked ship prevented me from getting a direct shot. Just to the left of the steel shaft is the east landing.
The bridge landings and dedication pedestal — view 2
Looking from the boat at the mouth of the channel which lead to the east landing. The old bridge crossed over this point and landed in from of us. The end of the old road can be seen in this view. The water was to shallow to get any closer.
The bridge landings and dedication pedestal — view 3
This view is from the end of the old road looking back to the west. Just beyond the ship is were the west end of the bridge landed.
A look down to water's edge from the same location
A look down to water's edge from the same location. I stepped back a few yards so that the edge of the road could be seen.
Looking from the south at the end of the road
Looking from the south at the end of the road.
Part of the original bulkhead can still be seen
Part of the original bulkhead can still be seen.
The bridge landings and dedication pedestal — view 7
The find of the day was the pedestal for the original dedication plaque. The original plaque is missing, but the engraving which remains says "DONATED BY MRS. PETER YOUREE, JUNE-3-1927". I have contacted the local historian to try to find out what was on the original plaque.
A closer look
A closer look.
A wider view
A wider view. Yes...those are cow pies at the bottom of the pedestal
US 90 archive photographs
Historic photographs of the Sabine crossing
Photographs: Historic photographs of the Sabine crossing
From the original collectionHistoric Photos
The following photos are courtesy of Dr. Howards Williams, the Orange County Historian. The photos are from his website at http://www.hcwilliams.com and from his book Picturing Orange. Used by permission.
Picturing Orange, A Pictorial History of Orange County
Edited by Dr. Howard C. Williams, ©2000
Heritage House of Orange County Association Inc.
Historic photographs of the Sabine crossing — view 1
"Sabine River Bridge, at the base of Green Avenue, was erected in the early 1920s. Prior to this, you had to cross the river on the ferry to go to Louisiana. The bridge was demolished shortly after I10 was opened."
Historic photographs of the Sabine crossing — view 2
"Consolidated Western Steel Shipyard Orange
Aerial view of CWS note destroyers on river. Sabine river bridge and night clubs in back ground."
Historic photographs of the Sabine crossing — view 3
"Bridge across Sabine River
Bridge at end of Green Avenue under construction. Note Green Avenue was a dirt road. ca 1924"
Historic photographs of the Sabine crossing — view 4
"East Orange, La
American Bridge at site CWS now a pipe mill
Sabine river bridge top rt Night clubs in La
Show Boat Busters and DeMary's below them
1952"
"Boy Scout Bus On Sabine River bridge
"Boy Scout Bus
On Sabine River bridge. Lutcher Stark sponsored the Scouts. ca 1930s"
Texas Hwy Information office Green Ave and Mill St
Texas Hwy Information office
Green Ave and Mill St. One block from Sabine River Bridge.
From the original archive
US 90 history and location maps
Historical text from the original TexasFreeway archive; field photographs from the 2003 and 2005 visits. · Return to the photographs ↑
Also see Historic US90 Abandoned
This area contains one of the oldest crossings into Texas from the east. Part of the Old Spanish Trail, this was route was a vital lifeline for equipment and supplies.
One of earliest crossings was Ballew's Ferry. This ferry actually crossed the Sabine River approximately 10 miles up river from Orange near Deweyville. As traffic through the region increased and with development of a national highway system plans were drawn up for a bridge to cross the river to replace the Ballew's Ferry.
The Sabine Memorial Bridge had a swing bridge design with a center pivot. The two main spans of the bridge were permanently mounted to a center drive mechanism. To "open" the bridge for boat traffic the bridge would "swing" and turn on a central column. The photos below are of a smaller swing bridge on TX87 in Bridge City just west of Orange.
"'Ma' Ferguson, governor of Texas, was on hand for the November 11, 1927, dedication of the new swing span bridge across the Sabine. Its opening broke the last traffic bottleneck on the Old Spanish Trail, officially known as Highway 90, and eliminated a typical hour-long wait to cross the river between Texas and Louisiana. With the completion of Highway 90 between Orange and Lake Charles, the west was at last easily accessible from the east, and vice versa". Williams, p.41.
With the opening in the early 1950's of the IH10 river bridge a mile up river, and due to some questionable politics the Sabine River Bridge was removed in the early 1960's. Very little physical evidence remains..
Topographical map and satellite image (1989).
(image reproduced from MapPoint® )