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| Name | RCP&E Pierre Street Bridge Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #301 1/4 |
| Built By | Chicago & North Western Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | Worden-Allen Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 104 Feet Total, 36 Foot 6 Inch Main Spans |
| Width | 2 Tracks |
| Height Above Ground | 11 Feet 3 Inches |
| Superstructure Design | Through Plate Girder and Steel Stringer |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Steel Bent |
| Date Built | 1907 |
| Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number | 301 1/4 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 7/15/2017 |
In 1879, the Chicago and Dakota Railway (C&D) completed 46 miles
of new railroad from Tracy, Minnesota to Elkhorn, South Dakota. At
Tracy, the line connected to an existing railroad owned by the Winona
and Saint Peter Railway (W&StP), which was being leased by the
Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW). At the same time, the
Dakota Central Railway (DC) completed an additional 25 miles from
Elkhorn to Volga, South Dakota in 1879. In 1880, 184 additional miles
would be completed by DC to Pierre. The C&D would come under
control of the Chicago & North Western Railway in 1881, and the
C&D, DC and W&StP would all be merged into the C&NW in 1900.
In 1905, Native American land west of the Missouri River opened to
settlement and development. The C&NW immediately began working on a
new line to reach the Black Hills. In 1906, 76 miles would be
completed from Ft. Pierre to Philip by the Pierre, Rapid City and North
Western Railway (PRC&NW), with 44 additional miles were completed by
the same company between Rapid City and Wasta that year. In 1907, the
bridge across the Missouri River at Pierre and 3 miles of track would be
completed by the Pierre & Ft. Pierre Bridge Railway, and the
remaining 44 miles would be completed from Philip to Wasta by the
PRC&NW. The PRC&NW and Pierre & Ft. Pierre Bridge Railway
were both funded and controlled by the C&NW, and would later be
fully incorporated.
The C&NW operated the route between Winona and Rapid City as the
main line of the Dakota Division, eventually operating the passenger
train the "Dakota 400" over the route. As the line became less
profitable in the 1970s and 1980s, the C&NW was considering
abandoning the route. In 1986, the line between Winona and Rapid City
would be sold to the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad. The
DM&E would be purchased by Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) in 2008.
In 2014, the DM&E entered into an agreement with the Genesee &
Wyoming owned Rapid City, Pierre and Eastern Railroad (RCP&E) to
sell 670 miles of track. Today, RCP&E operates the segment between Huron and Pierre, South Dakota as the Pierre Subdivision.
Located in downtown Pierre, this through plate girder bridge crosses Pierre Street. Built in 1907, the bridge consists of a pair of 36-foot 6-inch through plate girder spans, approached by a 15-foot 6-inch steel stringer span on either end. These spans were fabricated by the Worden-Allen Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The bridge is set onto stone abutments and steel bent piers, and was constructed for two tracks, although only one track is currently in use. The bridge utilizes a trough design, which became popular during the early 1900s as railroads were building grade separations in cities throughout the United States. In particular, the design was popular in Chicago, as it provided easy maintenance. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Builder and build date | Chicago & North Western Valuation Notes at the Chicago & North Western Historical Society Archives |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |