Point Douglas-St. Louis River Road Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Point Douglas-St. Louis River Road Bridge is the oldest known stone arch bridge
in the state of Minnesota
. Located near Stillwater
, the bridge dates back to 1863 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
The road that was carried by the bridge was built as one of Minnesota's earliest road construction projects. When Minnesota became a territory
in 1848, there were few land transportation routes other than the Red River Trails
, although water transportation was possible along the rivers. Henry Hastings Sibley
, who later became Minnesota's first governor, appealed to the United States Congress
in 1850 for funds to build a network of military roads in Minnesota Territory. The Minnesota Road Act was passed in July 1850. The Point Douglas to Superior Military Road
was authorized from Point Douglas
(north of present-day Hastings
), through Cottage Grove
, Stillwater
, Marine Mills (now Marine on St. Croix
), Falls of St. Croix (now Taylors Falls
), and to the "Falls or Rapids of the Saint Louis River
of Lake Superior
". The presumed purpose of these military roads was to provide a way for army troops to move quickly to an area where they were needed, but in practice, these roads were more often used by civilians traveling between existing settlements or settling new areas.
There are no records of any previous bridges at this location, so it is unclear why the bridge was built in 1863, well after the military roads were authorized. The Point Douglas-St. Louis River Road was never fully completed as a military road, because Congress only allocated $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000 at a time, so Sibley and other representatives had to keep appealing to Congress for more funds to complete the roads. By 1858, the year Minnesota became a state, two-thirds of the Point Douglas-St. Louis River Road was substantially complete.
The bridge is built of locally quarried limestone
by local builders Frederick Curtis and Michael Hanly. The Washington County
Board of Commissioners may not have been satisfied with the work, though, because the board refused to accept the work and refused to pay the men, even though the bridge was put into use. In 1974, Frederick Curtis' grandson Tom Curtis discovered that the bridge builders probably had been owed about $500 at the time, and after a century of compounded interest
, the bridge builders would have been owed about $200,000 in 1974 dollars. The stone bridge was used until about 1891, when a wider wood bridge was built about 200 feet (61 m) east of the stone bridge, and the road was shifted onto a new alignment. In 1905, a local miller incorporated the bridge into a three-story mill
on the site. The mill did not succeed, and it was torn down in 1927, leaving only the bridge.
Stone Arch Bridge
The Stone Arch Bridge is a former railroad bridge crossing the Mississippi River at Saint Anthony Falls in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota.Positioned between the 3rd Avenue Bridge and the I-35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge, the Stone Arch Bridge was built in 1883 by railroad tycoon James J...
in the state of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. Located near Stillwater
Stillwater, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,143 people, 5,797 households, and 4,115 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,340.0 people per square mile . There were 5,926 housing units at an average density of 915.7 per square mile...
, the bridge dates back to 1863 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
The road that was carried by the bridge was built as one of Minnesota's earliest road construction projects. When Minnesota became a territory
Minnesota Territory
The Territory of Minnesota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1849, until May 11, 1858, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Minnesota.-History:...
in 1848, there were few land transportation routes other than the Red River Trails
Red River Trails
The Red River Trails were a network of ox cart routes connecting the Red River Colony and Fort Garry in British North America with the head of navigation on the Mississippi River in the United States...
, although water transportation was possible along the rivers. Henry Hastings Sibley
Henry Hastings Sibley
Henry Hastings Sibley was the first Governor of the U.S. state of Minnesota.-Early life and education:...
, who later became Minnesota's first governor, appealed to the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
in 1850 for funds to build a network of military roads in Minnesota Territory. The Minnesota Road Act was passed in July 1850. The Point Douglas to Superior Military Road
Point Douglas to Superior Military Road
Point Douglas to Superior Military Road, also known as Point Douglas to St. Louis River Military Road and as Douglas Highway, was a road the ran between Point Douglas, located at the outlet of the Lower St. Croix Lake near Hastings, Minnesota, first to the falls of the St. Louis River near Thomson,...
was authorized from Point Douglas
Point Douglas, Minnesota
Point Douglas is a ghost town in section 8 of Denmark Township, Washington County, Minnesota, United States. It is located across the St Croix River from Prescott, Wisconsin.-History:...
(north of present-day Hastings
Hastings, Minnesota
Hastings is a city in Dakota counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota, near the confluence of the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers. The population was 22,172 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dakota County. The bulk of Hastings is in Dakota County; only a small part of the city extends...
), through Cottage Grove
Cottage Grove, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 30,582 people, 9,932 households, and 8,462 families residing in the city. The population density was 899.9 people per square mile . There were 10,024 housing units at an average density of 295.0 per square mile...
, Stillwater
Stillwater, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,143 people, 5,797 households, and 4,115 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,340.0 people per square mile . There were 5,926 housing units at an average density of 915.7 per square mile...
, Marine Mills (now Marine on St. Croix
Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota
Marine on St. Croix is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 689 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. Minnesota State Highway 95 serves as a main...
), Falls of St. Croix (now Taylors Falls
Taylors Falls, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 951 people, 369 households, and 247 families residing in the city. The population density was 255.6 people per square mile . There were 386 housing units at an average density of 103.7 per square mile...
), and to the "Falls or Rapids of the Saint Louis River
Saint Louis River
The St. Louis River is a river in the U.S. states of Minnesota and Wisconsin that flows into Lake Superior. The largest U.S. river to flow into the lake, it is 179 miles in length and starts near Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota. The river's watershed is in area...
of Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
". The presumed purpose of these military roads was to provide a way for army troops to move quickly to an area where they were needed, but in practice, these roads were more often used by civilians traveling between existing settlements or settling new areas.
There are no records of any previous bridges at this location, so it is unclear why the bridge was built in 1863, well after the military roads were authorized. The Point Douglas-St. Louis River Road was never fully completed as a military road, because Congress only allocated $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000 at a time, so Sibley and other representatives had to keep appealing to Congress for more funds to complete the roads. By 1858, the year Minnesota became a state, two-thirds of the Point Douglas-St. Louis River Road was substantially complete.
The bridge is built of locally quarried limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
by local builders Frederick Curtis and Michael Hanly. The Washington County
Washington County, Minnesota
Washington County is a county established in 1849 in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 238,136. Its county seat is Stillwater.-History:...
Board of Commissioners may not have been satisfied with the work, though, because the board refused to accept the work and refused to pay the men, even though the bridge was put into use. In 1974, Frederick Curtis' grandson Tom Curtis discovered that the bridge builders probably had been owed about $500 at the time, and after a century of compounded interest
Compound interest
Compound interest arises when interest is added to the principal, so that from that moment on, the interest that has been added also itself earns interest. This addition of interest to the principal is called compounding...
, the bridge builders would have been owed about $200,000 in 1974 dollars. The stone bridge was used until about 1891, when a wider wood bridge was built about 200 feet (61 m) east of the stone bridge, and the road was shifted onto a new alignment. In 1905, a local miller incorporated the bridge into a three-story mill
Mill (grinding)
A grinding mill is a unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces. There are many different types of grinding mills and many types of materials processed in them. Historically mills were powered by hand , working animal , wind or water...
on the site. The mill did not succeed, and it was torn down in 1927, leaving only the bridge.