Henderson, Texas Highway Confusion

Henderson has four different highways - U.S. Highway 259, U.S. Highway 79, TX Highway 43, and TX Highway 64. These highways are confusing and I always know ahead of time which highway I want to travel. On occassions, I find myself ending up a little lost or having to circle around until I find Highway 43. Sometimes it fails me veering to continue Highway 79 that I don't want to go that route because it's a little longer than Highway 43 into Karnack where my cousin lives. Highway 79 always end up into Highway 59 through Marshall. The routes in Henderson always makes traveling confusing. I have been on it for many years and I still fail miserably!

If you look at the map, you will see that I am suppose to get on highway 79/259 from Austin to get on highway 43, but always end up on Highway 79 into Marshall. I admit that when I find myself on Highway 79, I scream to the top of my poor lungs because that is how frustrated I become! Yet, I do enjoy the adventures of getting lost at times because this is how I discover the beauty of the backroads and the sights that make shooting pictures worthwhile.

I am coming out from highway 43 karnack....and see the signs. smh.

Ok, just ignore the bird shit on my windshield and enjoy the view. :)

Rusk Footbridge Garden Park

Among Rusk’s most popular tourist destinations, this 546-foot-long, 4 feet wide footbridge, built in 1861, may be the nation’s longest pedestrian bridge. During Rusk’s early years, the rustic wooden bridge connected residential areas with downtown whenever the creek below flooded. It is located in East 6th Street off Lone Oak Street, Rusk, TX.

I decided I needed to get out of the city to enjoy the tranquility of small towns. I went to visit my cousin Teri and her family in Marshall, Texas where I was born and raised until I was 3 years old. Teri's mother, Regina and my biological mother, Rita who passed away in May 2005 were sisters. I took U.S. highway 79 off I-35 and I drove all the way past Hutto, Taylor and a couple of other towns. I stopped in Hutto to check some 100 hippos and I found them uninteresting. I thought I would stop by again when I drive back home from Marshall, but I never did.

During my drive, damn, it rained all the way. The smell of rain was refreshing, but on the road, it was irritating. I hated splashes all over the windshield when vehicles passed by me. The most frustrating thing was that there was no connection on my phone since Taylor. Funny, Palestine is a little bigger than Rusk, but there was still no connection until I got to Rusk, my phone finally had connection! I shook my head. I knew there was one attraction in Rusk: The Footbridge. I was given the wrong street. It said East 5th Street off Lone Oak Street, but it was really East 6th Street (aka US Hwy 84). Rusk is a very small, old town that brought back some memories of Marshall. I love old rustic buildings; especially the fire department.

Reaching Palestine after a 3 1/2 hours drive, I had a spur-of-the-moment thing. I decided to get off US Hwy 79 and onto US Hwy 84 to Rusk.

Rain or not, I went ahead and checked out the Garden Park. It was so beautiful and I found the Footbridge that I was looking for. I was so excited like a little girl with a camera hanging on her! I started shooting pictures, even videotaped. Unfortunately, it had begun to rain and I was standing at the westward view, about 400 feet from where I parked. I had to run all the way to my rental car before my camera became wet. Good thing I wore my sneakers!! I couldn't imagine trying to run in my flip flops through the wet wooden bridge! I waited inside my car still smiling at myself for finding such a beautiful sight. The rain was about to stop and I left my car to take more pictures with the still-smiling face. You should stop here and check it out this park. I hear that weddings are held in this park and I can imagine because it is a romantic place.

Eastward view before the rain

Westward view after the rain