Photo courtesy Ted Eubanks

A West Sixth Street bridge over Shoal Creek has been recommended for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Texas Historical Commission in May recommended the bridge, known as the Pecan Street Bridge, be added to the National Register of Historic Places. According to the Shoal Creek Conservancy, the bridge—built in 1887—was built at the site of the first bridge in Austin and is one of the state's oldest masonry arches.

"Thousands of Austinites use the West Sixth Street bridge over Shoal Creek every day, but few realize it is a beautiful, hand-crafted, historic structure," Shoal Creek Conservancy Executive Director Joanna Wolaver said.

The conservancy pursued the historic designation to help preserve the 127-year-old bridge. The U.S. Park Service will potentially decide by this fall whether to include the bridge with other nationally historic landmarks. If approved, she said the conservancy will hold a celebration event and work toward implementing regular, ongoing maintenance of the bridge.