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| Name | RCP&E 8th Street Bridge Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #H-272 |
| Built By | Chicago & North Western Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Substructure Contractors | Unknown |
| Length | 60 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 16 Feet 5 Inches |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1914 |
| Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number | H-272 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 7/16/2017 |
In 1885, the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Rail Road Company (FE&MV) began construction on a 240 mile railroad line, extending from Valentine, Nebraska to Rapid City, South Dakota. Work would be completed in 1886. The following year, an additional 30 miles would be constructed from Rapid City, to Whitewood, South Dakota. An additional 21 miles would be constructed to Belle Fourche, South Dakota in 1890. The FE&MV would be reorganized in 1891, and sold to the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) in 1903. The C&NW had constructed and acquired a large number of railroad lines throughout the Midwest, and this line was one of the westernmost lines.
With the discovery of high quality bentonite nearby, the line would be extended 18 miles to Colony, Wyoming in 1948. This line served as a secondary route for the C&NW, connecting numerous industrial and agricultural branches in western South Dakota. In 1995, the line between Chadron and Colony would be sold to the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad (DM&E). 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 Chadron and Colony as the Black Hills Subdivision.
Located in Sturgis, this deck plate girder span crosses 8th Street. Built in 1914, the bridge features a single deck plate girder span, set onto concrete abutments. The girder was fabricated by the American Bridge Company of New York, and the abutments were constructed by an unknown company. The girder utilizes a concrete panel ballast deck, occasionally seen on C&NW bridges. Unlike some railroads, the C&NW often opted to contract masonry work for their bridges. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Builder and build date | American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |