Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #W-725

Located between Washington and Hill Streets in Poplar Grove, this small stone arch culvert carries the former Chicago & North Western Railway KD Line over an unnamed ditch. The first bridge at this location was likely a timber pile trestle, constructed when the line was first built. Between the early 1870s and early 1900s, the C&NW invested some capital into this line, replacing deteriorated timber bridges with stone and steel structures. While most stone arch culverts along this line were constructed in 1876, this structure was apparently built in 1890. Currently, the culvert consists of a 5-foot stone arch culvert, set onto stone substructures and constructed at a width of 45 feet. The culvert uses a standard design, with a semicircular arch, stepped wing walls and a dirt floor. Typical of stone culverts along this line, the culvert is constructed using a combination of cut stone and rubble masonry. Stone for the culvert was quarried at an unknown location, and appears to be a yellow limestone. It is unclear if the culvert was constructed by railroad company forces or by an unknown contractor. Stone arches were used extensively by railroads in the 19th Century, as they were durable and easy to construct. Since the initial construction, the culvert has seen no significant alterations, and is now used as part of the Long Prairie Trail. Overall, the culvert appears to be in fair to poor condition, deterioration noted to the stone. The author has ranked the culvert as locally significant, due to the small size and common design.