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| Name | Willard Munger State Trail - Kettle River Bridge Northern Pacific Railway Bridge #93 |
| Built By | Northern Pacific Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York (Main Spans) Unknown (Approach) |
| Length | 195 Feet Total, 80 Foot Spans |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 20 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder and Steel Stringer |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Concrete |
| Date Built | 1906, Approach Added 1947 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is a Trail) |
| Current Status | Open to Trail Traffic |
| Northern Pacific Railway Bridge Number | 93 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 4/18/2015 |
In 1867, the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad (LS&M) began construction on a new railroad line, extending north from St. Paul, Minnesota to Duluth, Minnesota; a distance of 155 miles. The LS&M was sold to the St. Paul and Duluth Railroad (StP&D) in 1877. Known as the "Skally Line", the line became a principal connection between the Twin Ports of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin. A major line change was completed in 1888, when the "Duluth Short Line" was constructed between Thomson and Duluth, and the original line reduced to a spur. The StP&D would be sold to the Northern Pacific Railway (NP) in 1900. NP operated this as their mainline between the Twin Cities and the Twin Ports. NP had a large network of railroad lines in Minnesota, and also had a network that extended to the Pacific Coast at Seattle.
In 1970, NP would merge with rival Great Northern Railway (GN) and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy to form Burlington Northern Railroad (BN). The GN had a parallel route, and BN quickly began to favor that route. The first section abandoned was between Carlton and West Duluth in 1976. Further cuts came in 1977, when the segment between Hinckley and Moose Lake was abandoned. By 1980, the Moose Lake to Carlton segment would be abandoned. The segment between Hugo and Forest Lake would be abandoned 1987, and the segments from Forest Lake to North Branch and White Bear Lake to St. Paul abandoned in 1989. All of the abandoned segments would be acquired for recreational trail use. In 1996, BN merged with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway to form BNSF Railway. In 1997, BNSF would sell the Hinckley-North Branch segment to the St. Croix Valley Railroad (SCXY).
Today, the Minnesota Commercial operates a small segment from Hugo to I-694 and SCXY continues to operate the Hinckley-North branch segment. The Bruce Vento Trail utilizes the former railroad grade between St. Paul and I-694, while the Sunrise Prairie Trail utilizes the grade between Hugo and North Branch, and the Willard Munger State Trail utilizes the railroad between Hinckley and West Duluth. BNSF continues to operate small amounts of track in Duluth.
Located north of Rutledge, this bridge carries the Willard Munger State Trail across the Kettle River alongside Old US Highway 61. The previous bridge at this location was an iron truss, constructed in the 1880s. In 1906, NP upgraded many bridges along this route, including this structure. A new bridge was constructed, consisting of two 80-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto the old stone abutments. A new concrete pier was also constructed at this time. In 1947, the bridge would be modified, and a 30-foot beam span added to the north end of the bridge, and a new concrete pier and abutment were constructed.
This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. The bridge has since become part of the the Willard Munger State Trail, and it should continue to serve trail traffic for years to come. 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 | American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |