UP Turtle Creek Bridge (South Beloit)

Located near the State Line in South Beloit, this through plate girder bridge carries the former Chicago & North Western Railway over Turtle Creek. This structure is one of two similar bridges at this location, with the Milwaukee Road bridge located west of this structure. The first bridge at this location was likely a wooden truss or trestle bridge, constructed when the line was first built. The current structure was constructed in 1901, and consists of four 60-foot through plate girder spans, set onto stone substructures. The girders utilize a design typical for the C&NW, including a traditionally composed floor and square ends. In addition, the bridge runs at a heavy curve. An unknown firm fabricated the superstructure, although one span may still have plaques indicating American Bridge Company was involved in the construction. It is currently unknown if the substructures were constructed by a contractor or by railroad company forces. Railroad records indicate that the stone consists of sandstone quarried at Rock Springs, Wisconsin. Through plate girder spans were popular for railroad use, as they were durable and easy to construct. Since the initial construction, the bridge has seen little change, although various points of the structure have been strengthened. In addition, the bearing blocks on the pier have been replaced, and select stones have been replaced by concrete. 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.