Stone Arch Bridge | |
|---|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:Mill_City_Museum_20_view_of_Stone_Arch_bridge.jpg) A view of the bridge from downtown Minneapolis | |
| Coordinates | 44°58′51″N 93°15′13″W / 44.98083°N 93.25361°W |
| Carries | Pedestrian and bicycle lanes; formerly two tracks of the Great Northern Railway |
| Crosses | Mississippi River |
| Locale | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Maintained by | Minneapolis Park Board |
| ID number | 27004 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | 21 stone arch spans, plus one steel-deck truss span |
| Total length | 2,100 feet (640 meters) |
| Width | 28 feet (8.5 meters) |
| Longest span | 197.5 feet (60.2 meters) (channel span) |
| Clearance below | 24.4 feet (7.4 meters) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1883 |
Stone Arch Bridge | |
&sq=&lang=&file=File:USA_Minnesota_location_map.svg)  &sq=&lang=&file=File:Usa_edcp_location_map.svg) | |
| Location | Minneapolis, MN |
| Part of | St. Anthony Falls Historic District (ID71000438 [1]) |
| Designated CP | March 11, 1971 |
| Location | |
 | |
The Stone Arch Bridge is a former railroad bridge crossing the Mississippi River at Saint Anthony Falls in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the only arched bridge made of stone on the entire Mississippi River. It is the second oldest bridge on the river next to Eads Bridge.[2] The bridge was built to connect the railway system to the new Union Depot, which at that time was planned to be built between Hennepin Avenue and Nicollet Avenue. The bridge was completed in 1883, costing $650,000 at the time ($21.3 million today).[3] 117 Portland Avenue is the general address of the historic complex.
Located between the 3rd Avenue Bridge and the I-35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge,[4] the Stone Arch Bridge was built in 1883 by railroad tycoon James J. Hill for his Great Northern Railway, and accessed the former passenger station located about a mile to the west, on the west bank of the river. For a time, the bridge was dubbed "Hill's Folly" until the value of Hill's new bridge as a passenger rail link became evident.[5]
The structure is now used as a pedestrian and bicycle bridge. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 as a part of the Saint Anthony Falls Historic District, (District #71000438). The bridge was designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1974.[6][7]
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 15, 2006.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
AIA Guide to the Twin Citieswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Stone Arch Bridge". Minneapolis Riverfront District. Archived from the original on November 15, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
- ^ Brandt, Steve. (May 31, 1989) Star Tribune Hennepin considers buying Stone Arch bridge. Section news; Page 7B
- ^ "Stone Arch Bridge".
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
MNopedia Minnesota Encyclopediawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Stone Arch Bridge - Great Northern Railway Historical Marker". The Historical Marker Database. Retrieved September 3, 2021.