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Sauk Centre Trail Bridge

Deck Girder Bridge over Sauk River
Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minnesota

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name Sauk Centre Trail Bridge
Built By Great Northern Railway
Contractor American Bridge Company of New York
Currently Owned By Minnesota DNR
Length 241 Feet Total, 60 Foot Largest Spans
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 20 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Deck Plate Girder
Substructure Type Concrete
Date Built 1912
Traffic Count 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is a Trail)
Current Status Rails to Trails
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date August 2015 and January 2022


Located near Sauk Centre, this deck girder bridge is the first crossing of the Sauk River on the Lake Wobegon Trail.
Built in 1912 to replace a trestle bridge, the bridge features four deck girder spans, set onto concrete substructures.
This style of bridge is exceptionally common on American railroads, due to the ease of construction and durability.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition, with minor spalling noted throughout the structure.

The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is an overview.

Sauk River Railroad Bridges
Upstream NP Sauk River Bridge (Little Sauk)
Downstream Melrose Trail Bridge (West)

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date Great Northern Railway Bridge Records at the Minnesota Historical Society
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele