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| Name | UP 300th Street Bridge Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #684 1/2 |
| Built By | Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Union Pacific Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 59 Feet Total, 35 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 13 Feet 6 Inches |
| Superstructure Design | Through Plate Girder and Timber Pile Trestle |
| Substructure Design | Timber Pile |
| Date Built | 1952 |
| Date Replaced | Fall 2022 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge has been Replaced) |
| Current Status | Replaced by a new bridge |
| Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number | 684 1/2 |
| Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number | 183.23 |
| Significance | Minimal Significance |
| Documentation Date | 1/1/2016 |
In 1865, the Minnesota Valley Railway Company (MVR) began construction on a new railroad line between Mendota, Minnesota and St. James, Minnesota. In 1865, the first 22 miles were completed between Mendota, Minnesota and Merriam Junction, Minnesota; followed by 17 additional miles to Belle Plaine, Minnesota in 1866. In 1867, the MVR completed an additional 16 miles to Le Sueur, Minnesota; followed by 12 additional miles to Kasota, Minnesota in 1868. In 1869, the MVR completed an additional 22 miles to Lake Crystal, Minnesota. The same year, an additional 5 miles would be completed between St. Paul, Minnesota and Mendota. In 1870, the MVR would be purchased by the St. Paul and Sioux City Railroad (StP&SC). 22 additional miles to St. James, Minnesota would be completed in 1870. The StP&SC completed 58 more miles from St. James to Worthington, Minnesota in 1871; and 64 additional miles to Le Mars, Iowa were completed in 1872. At Le Mars, the route connected to an existing railroad, over which the StP&SC used trackage rights to reach Sioux City, Iowa.
In 1881, the StP&SC would be sold to the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway (Omaha Road). The Omaha Road would come under control of the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) the next year. The C&NW had developed a large network of railroad lines in the Midwest, with the Omaha Road serving as the northern extent of the company. This route became the main line of the Western District of the Omaha Road. Several improvements were made to the line in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Between 1898 and 1906, several sections of the line were realigned between Blakeley, Minnesota and Mankato. In 1957, the C&NW leased the Omaha Road, and the C&NW purchased the company in 1972. The C&NW was purchased by Union Pacific Railroad (UP) in 1995. UP still operates the St. Paul to St. James segment as the Mankato Subdivision and the St. James to Sioux City segment as the Worthington Subdivision. The line remains a mainline for UP, connecting St. Paul to Sioux City and providing UP with a mainline into the Twin Cities.
Located near the small town of Org, this through plate girder bridge once carried the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway over 300th Street west of Minnesota Highway 60. Little is known about the history of this bridge. Reportedly built in 1952, the bridge consisted of a single 35-foot through plate girder span, approached by a single timber trestle span on either end. The entire bridge was set onto timber pile substructures. An unknown contractor fabricated the main span, and it is unknown if this span was reused from another location. This type of bridge was commonly used to cross small streams and roads, as it was cheap and easy to construct. The bridge was replaced in 2022 with a new bridge of similar design. At the time of replacement, the bridge was in fair to poor condition, with deterioration seen throughout the timber components of the bridge. It is unknown if the main span was reused at another location, as it was in fair to good condition. The author has ranked the bridge as being minimally significant, due to the common design and newer age.
Citations
| Build date | National Bridge Inventory (NBI) |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |