Consisting of 28 spans, this large wooden trestle once carried the Chaska Shakopee Trail across a flood plain.
Crossings at this location date to 1871. This bridge was updated about every 40 years, and last updated in 1953.
The bridge was one of three structures along the Chaska Shakopee Trail. The longest bridge, this one has stood severely damaged since 1996.
It is believed that the bridge caught fire in 1996, not long after the Minnesota River Bridge was demolished.
Reports vary, but it is believed that the fire occurred on Halloween Night (October 31st) of 1996.
Since the fire, the bridge has been in a very deteriorated and damaged condition. Located so close to popular trails in Chaska, it is surprising that this abandoned relic does not receive more attention.
After the fire, the bridge had the western span removed to keep trespassers off the structure. Since then, the bridge has sat abandoned. Eventually, the bridge will likely collapse in a large flood.
The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design and unknown history.
The photo above is an overview. The bridge is easily accessed from local trails.