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RCP&E Pierre Street Bridge

Through Plate Girder Bridge over Pierre Street
Pierre, Hughes County, South Dakota

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Name RCP&E Pierre Street Bridge
Built By Chicago & North Western Railway
Contractor Worden-Allen Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Currently Owned By Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad
Length 110 Feet Total, 36 Foot Main Spans
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 11 Feet 3 Inches
Superstructure Type Through Plate Girder and I-Beam
Substructure Type Stone Masonry and Steel Tower
Date Built 1907
Traffic Count 3 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
RCP&E Bridge Number 301 1/4
Significance Local Significance
A brief history of the Chicago & North Western route between Winona, Minnesota and Rapid City, South Dakota:

  • 1864: 50 miles completed from Winona to Rochester, Minnesota by the Winona & St. Peter Railway
  • 1865: 55 miles completed from Rochester to Waseca, Minnesota by the Winona & St. Peter Railway
  • 1867: W&StP is controlled by the Chicago & North Western Railway
  • 1870: 11 miles completed from Waseca to Janesville, Minnesota by the Winona & St. Peter Railway
  • 1871: 23 miles completed from Janesville to Mankato, Minnesota by the Winona & St. Peter Railway
  • 1872: 30 miles completed from Mankato to New Ulm, Minnesota via St. Peter by the Winona & St. Peter Railway
  • 1877: 62 miles completed from New Ulm to Tracy, Minnesota by the Winona & St. Peter Railway
  • 1879: 46 miles completed from Tracy, Minnesota to Elkhorn, South Dakota by the Chicago and Dakota Railway
  • 1879: 25 miles completed from Elkhorn to Volga, South Dakota by the Dakota Central Railway
  • 1880: 184 miles completed from Volga to Pierre, South Dakota by the Dakota Central Railway
  • 1881: Chicago and Dakota Railway controlled by the Chicago & North Western Railway
  • 1900: 26 miles completed from Mankato to New Ulm, Minnesota by the Mankato & New Ulm Railway
  • 1900: The Winona & St. Peter, Chicago and Dakota, Dakota Central and Mankato & New Ulm Railway all are merged into the Chicago & North Western Railway
  • 1905: Native American land west of the Missouri River opened to settlement
  • 1906: 76 miles completed from Ft. Pierre to Philip, South Dakota by the Pierre, Rapid City & Northwestern Railway
  • 1906: 45 miles completed from Rapid City to Wasta, South Dakota by the Pierre, Rapid City & Northwestern Railway
  • 1907: 3 miles completed from Pierre to Ft. Pierre, South Dakota by the Pierre & Ft. Pierre Bridge Railway, including the bridge across the Missouri River
  • 1907: 44 miles completed from Pierre to Philip, South Dakota by the Pierre, Rapid City & Northwestern Railway
  • 1907: Pierre, Rapid City & Northwestern and the Pierre & Ft. Pierre Bridge Railway controlled by the Chicago & North Western Railway
  • 1937: Burdette to Kasota segment abandoned
  • 1957: Kasota to St. Peter segment abandoned, and Minnesota River Bridge removed
  • 1963: St. Peter to Traverse segment abandoned
  • 1970: Traverse to New Ulm Quarry segment abandoned
  • 1986: Winona to Rapid City route, and New Ulm Quarry spur sold to Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad amid C&NW abandonment proposals
  • 2008: DM&E purchased by Canadian Pacific Railway and operated as a subsidiary
  • 2014: CP sells Tracy, Minnesota to Rapid City, South Dakota to Genesee Wyoming owned Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad
  • 2008-Present: Canadian Pacific (DM&E) operates the Winona to Waseca segment as the Waseca Subdivision
  • 2008-Present: Canadian Pacific (DM&E) operates the Waseca to Tracy segment as the Tracy Subdivision
  • 2014-Present: Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern operates the Tracy to Huron segment as the Huron Subdivision
  • 2014-Present: Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern operates the Huron to Pierre segment as the Pierre Subdivision
  • 2014-Present: Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern operates the Pierre to Rapid City segment as the PRC Subdivision

02/25/23


This small through girder bridge crosses Pierre Street in downtown Pierre, near the State Capitol.
Consisting of a pair of through girder spans, the bridge was built in 1907. In addition to the main spans, the bridge was approached by I-Beam spans.
In addition, the bridge sits on stone abutments and steel piers.
Overall, the bridge remains in good condition.

The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is an overview. The bridge can be accessed from the road below.

Citations

Source Type

Source

Bridge History Chicago & North Western Bridge Notes at the National Archives; College Park, Maryland
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele



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