Essers Crossing at Wesson
Esser’s Crossing on the Guadalupe River, situated along one of the first safe river road crossings, became site of an important way-station. It played a vital role that provided crude, but a safe shallow solid rock bottom river crossing for pioneers and their ox-drawn wagons and horse-drawn carriages.
The town of Wesson sprang up adjacent to Esser’s Crossing as a post office. Although Esser’s Crossing and Wesson eventually became a ghost community, the frequently used river road crossing served almost one hundred and fifty years as a place designated for safe passage into the northwest portion of the state from New Braunfels and San Antonio towards Johnson City and Fredericksburg.
The route eventually was the only high water bridge over the Guadalupe River on the farm to market road until the newly proposed nearby Veterans Highway 66 was completed in 1936. The new highway became the American Legion Memorial Highway 281. Before this highway from San Antonio to Johnson City was built, river road crossings played an essential role in early northwestern county history. These crossings were Specht’s Crossing, Esser’s Crossing and Remmler’s Crossing, all part of the Spring Branch area.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2013
