At the same time, the Menominee River Railroad was building from State Line to Quinnesec, Michigan. This included a new bridge across the Menominee River near Iron Mountain.
The Menominee Railway became a part of the Menominee River Railroad in 1880. The Menominee River Railroad continued building northwest, where it would reach Crystal Falls.
The railroad became a part of the Chicago & North Western in 1882, who was already operating several lines in the area.
The last major expansion to the line came in 1887, when a connection from Quinnesec to Powers, Michigan was built.
This connection provided connections to the rest of the Chicago & North Western system, as well as Escanaba.
By the 1890s, some small mine branches were built near Crystal Falls. However, the line stayed as part of the Chicago & North Western System.
However, the rail line was abandoned in 1979. Currently, it is used as an offroading trail. The portion from Powers to Iron Mountain is still active, and is owned by Canadian National.
09/02/16
This large and iconic deck truss bridge crosses the Menominee River northwest of Iron Mountain, Michigan.
The bridge is a centerpiece on the State Line Trail in the area. The structure features two large Double Intersection Warren Deck Truss spans, set on massive stone block piers.
In addition, the bridge is approached by a deck girder span on either end.
The bridge overall appears to be in excellent condition with little structural deterioration noted. It can be accessed from a set of stairs on Frei Drive.
The bridge has been ranked as being locally significant by the author due to the more modern age of the structure. However, the structure is still an exemplary example of this design.
The photo above is an overview.
Menominee River Railroad Bridges
| Upstream | Headwaters of Menominee River |
| Downstream | Kingsford Rail Bridge |