old61 Historic U.S. 61: Talmadge River Bridge

Talmadge River Bridge

Located: On St Louis County Road 61 at Talmadge, just north of McQuade Harbor.

Bridge #: 3597

Design: Concrete arch, 40 feet long.

Constructed: 1922, widened in 1951.

Historic Context: Early concrete highway bridge (heavily modified).

Also On:

Status: Open, rated as structurally adequate.

Access: On St Louis County Road 61.


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The Talmadge River Bridge is a 40 foot concrete arch structure located on St Louis County Road 61, aka the North Shore Scenic Drive. It was originally built in 1922 as part of the construction of Congdon Boulevard, an early paved highway that eventually became the route of U.S. 61 in 1926, and remained so until 1967 (for more on this historic alignment of U.S. 61, see the "North Shore Scenic Drive" article).

The bridge is a concrete barrel type, with a single barrel arch and solid spandrels. The roadway on the bridge was originally only 19 feet wide. The deck was widened to 30 feet in 1951 (MnDOT lists 1951 as the construction date on official documents).

Map

Photos - taken in April, 2010.


At the Talmadge River Bridge.


The dedication plaque on the Talmadge River Bridge, placed in 1951 when the bridge was widened (it was actually built in 1922).


The north face of the Talmadge River Bridge, constructed in 1951 as a widening of the original arch. The current railings also date from this project.

Sources

  1. MnDOT Construction Project Logs: Control Section 6926
  2. Report: MnDOT Bridges Over 20 Ft in Length - 6/23/2009

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