Houston Street Viaduct

I've accumulated several interesting postcard views of the Oak Cliff Viaduct, now generally known as the Houston Street Viaduct.

An especially nice rendition of the viaduct, probably from the 1920s. I think the tall building with the searchlight is the Magnolia Building prior to the addition of Pegasus. Someone expressed surprise at how popular this scene is, as it appears with great variation on old Dallas postcards. Until this bridge was completed in 1912 there were only a couple of precarious causeways linking Oak Cliff to Dallas. The "permanent" wooden bridge near Cadiz Street was condemned as unsafe even before it was washed away in the great flood of 1908.

 Here's one from the 1940s. I guess the city lights are reflecting brightly on the Trinity, although I really think it's someone's flight of fancy. Maybe they were wishing for a town lake. Pegasus is now visible on top of the Magnolia Building.




A more crudely rendered vision. This may not be the Houston Street bridge although it has similarities. It's probably from the 1940s, but it's hard to tell from the cars; they appear to be half the size of a Smart Car.  Pegasus on the Magnolia Building is now visible on the left side of the bridge.




I really like this view from about 1955. I'm guessing it's a photo rather than an artist's illustration. Notice The Republic National Bank Building's spire is now the tallest thing in the skyline, and advertising has finally crept into the scene via the Seagram's 7 billboard.

Photo by Claudia A. De La Garza

Finally, a shot of a mural in the Bishop Arts District from 2006, and we're back to an artist's vision of the Viaduct.

"Floods Never Again to Divide City". Well, maybe not floods, but the bridge is a constant reminder that Oak Cliff has its own identity.