- 1854: 39 miles completed from Chicago to Cary, Illinois by the Illinois & Wisconsin Railroad
- 1855: I&W combined with Rock River Valley Union Railroad to form the Chicago, St. Paul and Fond du Lac Railroad
- 1855: 53 miles completed from Cary to Janesville, Wisconsin by the Chicago, St. Paul and Fond du Lac Railroad
- 1859: CStP&FdL sold to Chicago & North Western Railway
- 1882: Second track completed from Chicago to Mayfair (Montrose Avenue)
- 1884: Second track completed from Mayfair to Des Plaines
- 1886: 16 miles completed from Janesville to Evansville, Wisconsin by the Janesville and Evansville Railway
- 1887: J&E sold to the Chicago & North Western Railway
- 1893: Second track completed from Des Plaines to Barrington
- 1899: Second track completed from Barrington to west of Harvard, Illinois
- 1899: Second track completed from Shopiere to west of Janesville, Wisconsin
- 1899: Track elevation completed from Kostner Avenue to Sangamon Street in Chicago
- 1908: Second track completed at Rock River in Janesville, Wisconsin
- 1927: Track elevation completed from Kostner Avenue to Foster Avenue in Chicago
- 1995: Chicago & North Western purchased by Union Pacific Railroad
- 1984-Present: Metra operates the Union Pacific Northwest Line between Harvard and Chicago
- 1995-Present: Union Pacific operates the Harvard Subdivision from Chicago to Evansville, Wisconsin
08/20/21
The Tiffany Stone Arch Bridge (C&NW Bridge #128) crossing Turtle Creek near Tiffany, Wisconsin in rural Rock County is considered to be one of the most impressive bridges in Wisconsin.
As the Historic American Engineering Record describes:
"The Tiffany Stone Bridge is the oldest remaining stone arch bridge in the State of Wisconsin. It is an
excellent representative example of the stonework done by the Chicago & North Western Railway and is, by
far, the most impressive stone arch railroad bridge in the State. The bridge was designed by Van Mienan,
the chief engineer for the railroad company, who modeled it after a stone arch bridge in Compiegne, France."
One of the most impressive structures in Wisconsin, as well as the Midwest, this bridge is one of the most unique and historic bridges on this site.
Built in 1869, the bridge would later be lined in 1930 with a concrete reinforcement. The bridge can be accessed from the west end, where Turtle Creek Parkway exists.
While the 1930 rehabilitation does impact the significance of this bridge, the lining is far better than a complete encasement.
Currently, the bridge still consists of five large spans. These spans are set on stone masonry supports, and other than the lining, the bridge has changed very little.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in excellent condition, with the lining holding up well.
Historic photo of the bridge
The author has ranked this bridge as being nationally significant, due to the large scale design of this historic structure.
The photo above is an overview of the bridge.
Historic American Engineering Record Photos from post-1968
