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| Name | Riverside Stone Arch |
| Built By | Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway |
| Currently Owned By | City of Riverside |
| Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 16 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track (21 Feet) |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Brick Lined Stone Arch |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry |
| Date Built | 1890 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Open to Pedestrian Traffic) |
| Current Status | Open to Pedestrian Traffic |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 10/22/2016; 4/13/2024 |
In 1872, the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota Railway (BCR&M) completed a 31-mile railroad line between Muscatine, Iowa and Riverside, Iowa. In 1878, the BCR&M became part of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway (BCR&N). In 1880, the Iowa City & Western Railway (IC&W) extended the line an additional 46 miles to What Cheer, Iowa; and also constructed a 16 mile branch from Thornburg, Iowa to Montezuma, Iowa. It is believed that the IC&W was leased by the BCR&N soon after completion of the line. Throughout the 1880s, the BCR&N became a major railroad in Iowa, connecting towns in the eastern and northern portions of the state. This line served as a branch line for the BCR&N, connecting small towns in southeast Iowa. Near the west end of the line, the route served extensive coal mines near What Cheer. By the turn of the 20th Century, the BCR&N operated over 1,000 miles of track throughout Iowa, connecting both small towns and large cities. In 1902, the BCR&N formally acquired the IC&W. In June 1903, the BCR&N was acquired by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway (Rock Island), which operated a large railroad network through the midwestern United States.
Much of this line directly paralleled an existing Rock Island mainline, which ran between Davenport, Iowa and Iowa City, Iowa. In 1938, the line between Iowa Junction (east of Riverside) and Muscatine would be abandoned. The Rock Island struggled financially throughout much of its history, experiencing repeated bankruptcies and chronic instability. After World War II, the Rock Island struggled to survive, proposing mergers and deferring maintenance on their routes. The railroad reorganized as the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad in 1948. In 1956, the line between Thornburg and What Cheer was abandoned. By the mid-1970s, the railroad was in serious decline. The railroad secured loans to eliminate slow orders, acquired new equipment, and attempted to restore profitability. In February 1974, the remaining line between Iowa Junction and Montezuma was sold to the Central Iowa Railway. Due to financial strain, the railroad was short lived and the entire line was embargoed in October 1974. In 1978, the line was formally abandoned and the tracks removed. Today, little remains of this line, and almost all of the right-of-way has been returned to adjacent landowers.
Located in Riverside, this attractive brick and stone arch carries a former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) branch line over an unnamed creek. The first bridge at this location was likely a timber pile trestle, constructed when the line was first built. Starting in the mid-1880s, the BCR&N invested significant capital into their system, replacing early timber bridges with iron and stone structures. The present bridge was constructed in 1890. Currently, the bridge consists of a 16-foot brick lined stone arch, set onto stone substructures and constructed for a single track at a width of 21 feet. The superstructure follows a typical BCR&N design, with a semicircular arch and short headwalls. While the outer faces of the superstructure are formed from limestone, the interior arch ring is constructed of red brick. The substructures follow a standard design, with stepped wing walls which extend at an angle from the bridge. Stone for the bridge consists of a tan limestone, likely quarried at Cedar Valley, Iowa. It is unclear if the bridge was constructed by an unknown contractor or by railroad company forces. Stone arches were popular for railroad use, as they were durable and easy to construct. Brick was also occasionally used by some railroads, as it also was strong and was likely more cost effective than stone. Since the initial construction, the bridge has seen few alterations. Minor mortar repairs have been made to the joints between the stones, and handrails have been added above the headwall. Today, the bridge is part of a small pedestrian trail in Riverside. Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition, and appears to be well maintained. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build date | Date carving |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |