At one time, Hillcrest Drive in Waco, Texas was called “Speegleville Road”. It descended into the Bosque River Valley and led to a low-water crossing that crossed over to Speegleville. This was known as Mills Crossing because the Seth Mills Farm was on the other side of the river. Around 1900, a steel bridge with a wood plank floor was built at Mills Crossing.

When the first Waco Dam was built in 1929-30, the decision was made to move the Mills Crossing Bridge to the North Bosque. It was to be a part of a proposed 35-mile “scenic route” around the new lake. Many people who are still living remember driving over the “rickety” bridge…quite noisy as a car drove over. It was located near the DeHay Farm, and was named the DeHay Bridge. (The old Highway 6 Bridge replaced the Mills Crossing Bridge as the main bridge connecting Waco and Speegleville.)

The old DeHay Bridge was removed when the new dam was built 1958-64, and a new highway and bridge were constructed linking China Spring Highway to Highway 6. CR 185, also known as North River Crossing, is just up steam from the old DeHay Bridge.

Although it’s gone, and the location is now underwater, the old bridge served Waco and Speegleville for almost 60 years, with its first 30 years at Mills Crossing and its last 30 years at DeHay’s Crossing.