- 1871: 21 miles completed from Manitowoc to Brillion, Wisconsin by the Appleton & New London Railway
- 1872: 20 miles completed from Brillion to Appleton, Wisconsin by the Appleton & New London Railway
- 1872: A&NL purchased by the Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western Railroad
- Ca. 1883: Kaukauna belt line built to serve paper mills and connect to Green Bay line
- 1893: MLS&W purchased by Chicago & North Western Railway
- 1971: C&NW abandons segment from Kaukauna to Forest Junction
- 1978: Brillion to Manitowoc segment abandoned
- 1978: Forest Junction to Brillion segment sold to Brillion and Forest Junction Railroad
- 1987: Forest Junction to Brillion segment abandoned
- 1988: Appleton to Kaukauna segment sold to Fox Valley Western Railway
- 1993: FV&W purchased by Wisconsin Central, Ltd
- 2001: Canadian National Railway acquires Wisconsin Central, Ltd
- 2001-Present: Canadian National operates the line through Appleton and Kaukauna
06/26/21
This unique bridge crosses the Fox River Navigation Channel in Kaukauna near a major industrial area.
Built in 1901, the bridge is one of three known of this design.
The bridge is a 13 panel riveted warren pony truss, with an arched design, and laced endposts.
Since the canal has been dry for 20+ years, the bridge has been in closed position ever since. Recent work has taken place to rebuild the canal and lock, which as of 2018 has made the bridge operational.
Currently, the bridge shares a design with the Allouez Swing Bridge and a bridge over the Fox River in Princeton.
This unique design features a continuous warren pony truss, which requires a specific engineering skill to balance the weight.
These bridges were built between 1901 and 1905, and there may have been more at one time, however it could have been a Fox River specific design for smaller scale swing spans.
Unlike many swing bridges, the swing pier here is a square. All substructures are stone.
The author has ranked this bridge as being regionally significant, due to the unique design.
The photo above is an overview.
| Upstream | Appleton Swing Bridge |
| Downstream | Allouez Swing Bridge |