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| Name | BNSF Grand Marais Creek Bridge Great Northern Railway Bridge #95.1 |
| Built By | Great Northern Railway |
| Currently Owned By | BNSF Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Length | 60 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1903 |
| Traffic Count | 10 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Great Northern Railway Bridge Number | 95.1 |
| BNSF Railway Bridge Number | 95.1 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 7/11/2015 |
In 1875, the Red River Valley Railroad Company would construct a new 12 mile line from Crookston, Minnesota to Fisher, Minnesota. In 1879, railroad magnate James J. Hill would gain control of the line, and fund a 12 mile extension to Grand Forks. After the extension was constructed, the railroad was sold to the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railway Company (StPM&M). The StPM&M would acquire or build a considerable amount of trackage throughout Minnesota in the coming years. 45 miles of additional railroad were constructed between Crookston and Fosston, Minnesota in 1888. The Eastern Railway Company of Minnesota would construct an additional 99 miles of railroad from Fosston to Deer River, Minnesota. In 1907, the StPM&M and Eastern Railway Company were purchased by Great Northern Railway.
The GN operated this route as a mainline. The line continued west to Seattle and east to the Twin Ports of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin. In 1970, GN merged with rival Northern Pacific Railway and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad to form Burlington Northern Railroad. BN was in turn merged with Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway in 1996, to form BNSF Railway. BNSF currently operates the Grand Forks to Cass Lake segment of this line as the Grand Forks Subdivision.
Located west of Fisher alongside US Highway 2, this standard deck plate girder bridge crosses Grand Marais Creek. Built in 1910 to replace a wooden trestle, this bridge consists of a standard 60-foot deck plate girder span, set onto concrete abutments. The deck of the bridge utilizes a wooden ballast deck design. The girder span has a plaque which indicates it was fabricated in 1903, possibly indicating that this span was either extra stock or was moved here from another location. This style 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 little 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 |