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| Name | BNSF Sucker Creek Arch Great Northern Railway Bridge #60 |
| Built By | St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railway |
| Currently Owned By | BNSF Railway |
| Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 12 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track (106 Feet) |
| Height Above Ground | 10 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Stone Arch |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry |
| Date Built | 1900 |
| Traffic Count | 15 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Great Northern Railway Bridge Number | 60 |
| BNSF Railway Bridge Number | 58.68 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 1/7/2014 |
In 1867, the First Division of The St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company constructed 14.70 miles of new railroad between Minneapolis, Minnesota and Lake Junction (Wayzata). Work would continue westward in 1868, with an additional 29 miles constructed to Howard Lake, Minnesota. Work resumed in 1869, with 49 more miles constructed, reaching Willmar, Minnesota. Work resumed in 1870, with 31 more miles constructed to Benson, and an additional 81 miles would be constructed to Breckenridge, Minnesota; located on the western Minnesota border. The railroad would be sold to the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railway (StPM&M) in 1879.
During the 1880s, the StPM&M would acquire and construct a large amount of railroad lines throughout Minnesota. Owned by railroad magnate James J. Hill, the railroad would continue to grow into the 1890s, before being sold to the Great Northern Railway (GN) in 1907. The GN, like the StPM&M, was owned by James J. Hill, and the railroad would eventually reach the Pacific Coast at Seattle in 1893. The GN utilized this as a mainline, connecting the railroad town of Willmar to the Twin Cities, and to agricultural markets in Western Minnesota. In 1970, GN merged with rival Northern Pacific Railway and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad to form Burlington Northern Railroad. BN was in turn merged with Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway in 1996, to form BNSF Railway. BNSF currently operates the Minneapolis to Willmar portion of this line as the Wayzata Subdivision.
Located on the east side of Cokato, this small stone arch bridge carries a former Great Northern Railway mainline over Sucker Creek. The first bridge at this location likely consisted of a timber pile trestle. In the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, the GN made significant upgrades to this line, replacing some timber bridges with new stone and concrete culverts. In 1900, a new stone arch bridge was constructed at this location. The bridge was later extended in 1904 as part of a grade reduction project. Currently, the bridge consists of an 12-foot stone arch culvert, set onto stone substructures and constructed at a width of 106 feet. The bridge follows a standard design, with a semicircular arch and stepped wing walls extending diagonally from the structure. The bridge is constructed of a pink quartzite, likely quarried near Pipestone, Minnesota or Garretson, South Dakota. Several bridges and culverts along the GN system were constructed with the same stone. An unknown contractor constructed the initial portion of the bridge, and an additional unknown contractor extended the bridge. Since the 1904 widening, the bridge has seen no significant alterations, and remains in regular use. Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build Dates | Great Northern Willmar Division Bridge Index, located at the Minnesota Historical Society |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |