Eagle Point Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Eagle Point Bridge was a very narrow two lane automobile
bridge that connected urban Dubuque, Iowa
and rural Grant County, Wisconsin
. It was part of the US 61
/US 151
route, and was a toll bridge. After the new Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge
was built in 1983, the Eagle Point Bridge was torn down. At the end, the toll was ten cents, both ways, collected on the Iowa side.
The bridge was located about 900 feet south of Lock and Dam No. 11
, at the northern edge of Rhomberg Avenue in Dubuque, and connected to Eagle Point Road on the opposite side of the river. It was about one mile (2 km) north of the present bridge. The bridge was still structurally sound after the new bridge was built, leading some to ask the bridge be kept open as a pedestrian or special use bridge, but the state still tore the bridge down.
Several years after the demolition of the bridge, a restaurant known as the Tollbridge Inn was constructed at what was the Iowa end of the bridge. The restaurant operated for a number of years, until it was torn down to make way for future development.
The bridge was extensively documented in 1982 for the Library of Congress
Historic American Engineering Record. The survey consists of 81 black-and-white photos and 45 data pages detailing construction and history of the bridge.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
bridge that connected urban Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
and rural Grant County, Wisconsin
Grant County, Wisconsin
Grant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 49,597. Its county seat is Lancaster. Estimates for 2008 show a population of 49,238...
. It was part of the US 61
U.S. Route 61
U.S. Route 61 is the official designation for a United States highway that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River, and is designated the Great River Road for much of its route. As of 2004, the highway's...
/US 151
U.S. Route 151
U.S. Route 151 is a U.S. Highway that runs through the states of Iowa and Wisconsin. The southern terminus for U.S. 151 is at a junction with Interstate 80 in Iowa County, Iowa, and its northern terminus is at Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The route, from south to north follows a northeasterly path through...
route, and was a toll bridge. After the new Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge
Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge
The Dubuque–Wisconsin Bridge is a steel tied arch bridge connecting Dubuque, Iowa, with still largely rural Grant County, Wisconsin. It is an automobile bridge that traverses the Mississippi River. It is one of two automobile bridges in the Dubuque area. A railroad bridge is between them...
was built in 1983, the Eagle Point Bridge was torn down. At the end, the toll was ten cents, both ways, collected on the Iowa side.
The bridge was located about 900 feet south of Lock and Dam No. 11
Lock and Dam No. 11
General Zebulon Pike Lock and Dam No. 11 is a lock and dam located between Dubuque, Iowa and rural Grant County, Wisconsin, on the Upper Mississippi River. It was opened to navigation 14 September 1937. The movable portion of the dam is long and consists of 13 tainter gates and three roller gates...
, at the northern edge of Rhomberg Avenue in Dubuque, and connected to Eagle Point Road on the opposite side of the river. It was about one mile (2 km) north of the present bridge. The bridge was still structurally sound after the new bridge was built, leading some to ask the bridge be kept open as a pedestrian or special use bridge, but the state still tore the bridge down.
Several years after the demolition of the bridge, a restaurant known as the Tollbridge Inn was constructed at what was the Iowa end of the bridge. The restaurant operated for a number of years, until it was torn down to make way for future development.
The bridge was extensively documented in 1982 for the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
Historic American Engineering Record. The survey consists of 81 black-and-white photos and 45 data pages detailing construction and history of the bridge.
External links
- Historic American Engineering Record (Library of Congress) Survey number HAER IA-2