Nostalgia & History > Hastings Minnesota Milwaukee Road Bridge

The first two photographs are from the Minnesota Historical Society's Online Collection of the CMStP&P bridge that crossed the Mississippi at Hastings, Minn. in 1930.

Milwaukee railroad bridge #268 near Hastings.
Dates Content: Approximately 1930
Accession Numbers: AV1984.85.10 and AV1984.85.26

The bridge crossed the Mississippi River where it turns left (west) into the State of Minnesota and the St. Croix River branches off to the north becoming the boarder between Minnesota and Wisconsin. Note the boat in the distance in the second picture. It sure looks like a catamaran.

Third is a picture of today's bridge from Bing Maps.

Enjoy,
Marty Bernard



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/14 17:05 by MartyBernard.

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Prior to the bridge shown in the first two pics, this bridge was the first. Also from the MHS collection.

I think there may have been another lift bridge in the time period between the bridges you've shown, but I'm not positive.

-John

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Hi Marty --

Looking at those bridge photos makes me wonder if it was a steam powered swing bridge. All photos have a little smoke above and the second photo looks like its letting off steam.

Keep cool and stay happy.

Ray B
Watts local

It does appear to be a most interesting bridge design.

I agree, it appears to have a mechanical room mounted high up in the center, which is giving off smoke, and in the second picture there seems to be a steam exhaust from near the bearing.

There also seem to be TWO bridge-tender's shanties, one on each side of the bridge!

Bit wait, there's more. What are those high poles and "things" on each end of the span? You can see them on the non-moving part of the span also. I don't think these are intended as signals that the bridge is open or closed, and I can't see how they could be utility poles carrying wires, so what are they?

wattslocal Wrote:
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> Hi Marty --
>
> Looking at those bridge photos makes me wonder if
> it was a steam powered swing bridge. All photos
> have a little smoke above and the second photo
> looks like its letting off steam.
>
> Keep cool and stay happy.
>
> Ray B
> Watts local

Definitely were steam powered. The steam plant, on
most, and the engines were in the area protected by
the shear fence.

LarryDoyle Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Prior to the bridge shown in the first two pics,
> this bridge was the first. Also from the MHS
> collection.
>
> I think there may have been another lift bridge in
> the time period between the bridges you've shown,
> but I'm not positive.
>
> -John

The current lift span is the first of its type at
Hastings, however, there was a heavier swing bridge
after the one shown in Marty's original post.

Very interesting photos, Marty. I think the "catamaran" in the
second photo is actually a stern wheeler "steamboat."

Thanks for posting.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA