This unique truss bridge crosses the North Raccoon River near Jefferson.
The previous bridge here was an 1892 vintage truss bridge. In 1916, a 54-foot deck girder was moved from Bridge #Z-1930, which was fabricated in 1914. By 1920, a 50-foot deck girder was moved from an unknown location. This span was fabricated in 1902.
In 1930, the truss span was moved here to replace the original truss. While it is currently unknown where the span came from, the truss is a 5-panel, 113-foot pin connected Pratt Through Truss, which follows a standard Milwaukee Road design, giving a build date of approximately 1895. A number of these trusses were built on main lines around this time period, including an identical span now located at Merrill, Wisconsin.
In 1946, the bridge was set onto concrete substructures, which replaced the original timber piers.
Railroads often reused spans from main lines to save money, especially along branch lines.
Overall, the bridge appears to remain robust and strong, and certainly capable of carrying pedestrians for years to come. Unfortunately, part of the trestle approach collapsed in 2019 during an ice jam, although the section was repaired and reopened in August 2021.
The author has ranked this bridge as being regionally significant, due to the extensive history of this bridge.
The photo above is an overview.
| Upstream | UP North Raccoon River Bridge |
| Downstream | Perry Trail Bridge |