Eau Claire, Eau Claire County, WI. – The Wisconsin Historical Society announces the listing of the Soo Line Railroad Bridgein the National Register of Historic Places on August 12, 2022.
The Soo Line Railroad Bridge is a deck truss bridge constructed in 1910. It spans the Eau Claire River between Galloway and Gibson Streets in the City of Eau Claire. The Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie line constructed the bridge; Soo was commonly interchanged with Sault, resulting in the Soo Line designation. It was designed by the Minneapolis Steel and Machinery Company and was known locally as the S-Bridge. Constructed with steel, the three-span Warren Truss bridge is offset laterally to allow for the unusual S-curved track to fit within the difficult terrain of the area.
The Soo Line Railroad Bridge is representative of the lumber industry, industrialization and infrastructure established to support railroad expansion within the state of Wisconsin. The Soo Line Railroad Bridge displays architectural significance for its unique engineering design. The bridge was abandoned in 1991 and is currently open to pedestrians as part of the Chippewa River State Trail.
Additional information for the Soo Line Railroad Bridgeis available at
https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Property/HI41867
To learn more about the State and National Register programs in Wisconsin, visit https://wisconsinhistory.org/hp/register/
