Labatt Road Bridge

Around the late 1800s an area 10 miles west of Floresville was recognized as Labatt, Texas. It was named after Henry Labatt, an attorney from the Galveston area. This area became the establishment for what was known as a railroad "switch". During this era, many families came to settle and venture into the farming tradition. The "Labatt Switch" was located near the San Antonio River and many farmers would bring their cash crops and other yields by crossing the river bottom to get to the "switch". Those that could not cross the river bottom had to travel many miles to the nearest bridge crossing to reach the "switch" with their cash crops. From there the crops were distributed across the nation.

The construction of the Labatt Road Bridge started in the year of 1913 and finished in 1914. Bud Burket was the designer and the builder for the bridge. A metal frame, three metal arches on each side, and wooden pallets that laid across were the construction of the Labatt Road Bridge. There was a great flood which had wiped out many bridges which crossed the San Antonio River and other rivers in the surrounding area. It was then that the Labatt Road Bridge was built. Even though the bridge was built at an appropriate time, it also made it easier for the farmers to reach the "switch" to deliver their cash crops. In 1946 the south end of the bridge was damaged by yet another flood and was not repaired until 1948. The wooden bridge to this day is still accessible and has endured another great flood, "The Flood Of 1998".

Travel before automobiles, paved roads and highways was very difficult in those days. All travel back then was made by horse drawn wagons or on foot. Travel is much easier today and technology has made man take it for granted and forget how hard life was then. When the bridge was built it made life easier for many people.

This information comes from a phone interview with a local farmer who has lived his entire life within a mile of the bridge.