If you don't know it's there, you won't ever come across this bridge. And given it's history, this bridge SHOULDN'T be there. Located in the area that used to be Regency, TX. The town is no more and only a handful of houses remain. The area was originally settled in 1854 by David Hannah. Family joined him as well as other settlers and the area became known as Hannah. It was called Hannah, until they applied for a post office and found out that another town had the same name, so they renamed it Regency. In 1895, Regency's population hit its peak with 200 residents, then a steady decline in the years to come. the post office closed in the 1930's and the last store in the area went out of business in 1970.
middle of the bridge. a quiet atmosphere and beauty for miles around you. no signs of settlement.
The Historical marker located about 5 miles back on a dirt road reads:
This area's first Colorado River bridge was at Regency, on Mills-San Saba County line. Built 1903, it served ranchers and farmers for going to market, but fell in 1924, killing a boy, a horse, and some cattle. Its successor was demolished by a 1936 flood. With 90 per cent of the work done by hand labor, the Regency Suspension Bridge was erected in 1939. It became the pride of the locality, and youths gathered there in the 1940s to picnic, dance, and sing. Bypassed by paved farm roads, it now (1976) survives as one of the last suspension bridges in Texas.
a view of the Colorado River from the bridge.
I came from the Dallas area so the only town large enough to even have a gas station was the town of Goldthwaite, about 24 miles away. The road was moderate with the calm pace of cars going through the farm roads. The GPS finally started beeping that we were coming up on the turn, and there stood a lone historical marker. A tragic end to the first bridge and nature took it's replacement. After several attempts to repair and restore the bridge it was finally done with the help of then Texas Gov. George W. Bush. in 2005 the bridge was officially the last suspension bridge in texas to carry automobiles. And like I said before, if you didn't know it was there, you wouldn't find it. As soon as I turned into the road displaying the historical marker, the paved tarmac quickly turned into gravel and dirt. Cool! And it was gravel and dirt for almost 5 miles to the bridge, and it's gravel and dirt for many miles after the bridge. There are still a few homes close to the bridge and oddly enough this is where the dirt road was roughest. I highly recommend a vehicle that's high and can take the rocky abuse. My Jeep Lola was absolutely at home with the gravely dusty road.
Lola my Jeep wrangler. It was so much fun driving down these dirt roads. pretty well maintained except for the section with houses oddly enough.
another view of the Colorado River.
a view of Regency Bridge as it suspends over the Colorado River. The leaves are not quite on the trees yet, gives a decent view of the bridge.
Lola sitting in the middle. it's such an out of the way place that we did not see another vehicle pass for a full 30 to 40min. and none after that.
Historical marker at the entrance to the road. You will still need to drive a good 4.5 miles to the actual bridge from here.