Chippewa River State Trail - Lowes Creek Bridge

In 1881, the Chippewa Valley and Superior Railway would construct a new 48 mile railroad line between the existing Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway (Milwaukee Road) mainline at Wabasha, Minnesota and Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  In addition, the railroad would construct a 21 mile branch between Red Cedar Junction and Menomonie, Wisconsin.  The following year, the railroad would be absorbed by the Milwaukee Road, which was rapidly constructing and acquiring branch lines throughout the Midwest.  In 1883, the branch would be extended to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.  Known as the Chippewa Valley Division, these two branch lines primarily served the booming lumber industry in this part of Wisconsin.  To cross the Mississippi River, a unique pontoon bridge would be constructed at Reeds Landing.  

By the 20th Century, the Milwaukee Road had become a prominent railroad in the United States, operating an expansive network of railroad lines, primarily in the Midwest.  The branch to Chippewa Falls would be abandoned in favor of the parallel Wisconsin Central Railway/Soo Line tracks in the early 20th Century.  The Milwaukee Road was often in financial trouble, especially after the costly Pacific Extension was completed in 1909. In 1925, the company declared bankruptcy, and reorganized as the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad in 1928. Throughout the 20th Century, conditions on the Milwaukee Road continued to deteriorate.  Spring flooding in 1951 destroyed the pontoon bridge, and the line would be abandoned between Trevino and Wabasha, isolating this branch line from the rest of the Milwaukee Road system.  In 1973, the branch to Menomonie would be abandoned.  The railroad entered bankruptcy in 1977, and was forced to liquidate unprofitable lines. 

Due to a derailment, the Trevino to Durand segment was abandoned in 1977. In 1979, the Eau Claire to Durand segment was sold to the Chippewa River Railroad, a small short line.  The Trevino to Durand segment was sold to Northern States Power the same year, for the purpose of constructing a new power plant.  The Chippewa River Railroad would be abandoned in 1980, due to weak bridges and deteriorated track conditions.  The proposed power plant was cancelled, and the tracks in the Trevino to Durand segment laid abandoned.  In the early 1980s, the Menomonie Branch and the Durand to Eau Claire segment were purchased by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for use as a trail.  In 1995, the Chippewa Valley Motor Car Association purchased the Durand to Trevino segment, and began operating motorcars on it.  Today, the Red Cedar State Trail uses the former Menomonie Branch, and the Chippewa River State Trail uses the line between Durand and Eau Claire.  In addition, the Chippewa Valley Motor Car Association continues to operate and maintain the line between Trevino and Durand.