Moore's Crossing Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Moore's Crossing Historic District
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The bridge at Moore's Crossing
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 Location in Texas
Location in the United States
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| Location | SE of Austin, Texas USA roughly bounded by FM 973, Moores Bridge Road and Onion Creek. |
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| Area | 305 acres (123 ha) |
| Built | 1871 |
| MPS | Southeast Travis County MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 96001091 |
| Added to NRHP | October 16, 1996 |
Moore's Crossing Historic District is a special area in the countryside of Travis County, Texas. It's about nine miles southeast of Austin, close to the Austin–Bergstrom International Airport.
Long ago, people used this spot to cross Onion Creek, even back in the 1840s. It got its name in the early 1900s when John B. Moore opened a store here. This historic place was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 16, 1996.
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What Makes Moore's Crossing Special?
The southeastern part of Travis County was one of the first areas settled by Europeans. This happened after the Spanish and Mexican governments allowed people to move to Texas in the 1820s. The land here, watered by the Colorado River, was very good for farming.
The first settlers were farmers who grew crops and built simple homes. They lived near the rivers and creeks. Even though Austin became the state capital, this area stayed mostly farmland. This changed when Bergstrom Air Force Base was built in 1942 during World War II. Later, in the 1990s, more people moved here. The Austin–Bergstrom International Airport opened in 1999, bringing more businesses to Texas State Highway 71.
The Historic Moore's Crossing Bridge
In 1915, parts of an old bridge from Austin were used to build a new one at Moore's Crossing. This old bridge was the 1884 Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge. Three sections of that bridge had been stored since 1910.
However, a big flood that same year washed the new bridge away. The bridge you see today was finished in 1922. It was built by the Austin Bridge Company from Dallas. This bridge uses strong concrete supports and the remaining three sections from the old Congress Avenue Bridge. It helped people cross Onion Creek on Burleson Road.
The Bridge Becomes a Pedestrian Path
On January 8, 1980, the bridge was closed to cars. It had been used for almost 97 years! Richard Moya, who was a county commissioner for Travis County, said the bridge was too old and risky for cars. It would have cost a lot of money to fix it and make it wider for more traffic.
Instead, a new, wider concrete bridge was built nearby for cars. The old bridge at Moore's Crossing was then blocked off. It became a special pedestrian bridge for people to walk across.
The bridge at Moore's Crossing was recognized as a Historic Landmark in 1980 by the Texas Historical Commission. The entire community of Moore's Crossing was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 16, 1996.
Moore's Crossing on TV
Warner Bros. Television used the Moore's Crossing Bridge and the park below it for a TV show. It was a filming location for season 2 of The Leftovers. This show was shown on HBO. They filmed scenes at this spot between April and October 2015.
