Property Record
Elroy-Sparta State Trail, just SE of STH 82-Lincoln St intersection
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge |
|---|---|
| Other Name: | Structure NR-29-010 (DNR) |
| Contributing: | |
| Reference Number: | 242719 |
| Location (Address): | Elroy-Sparta State Trail, just SE of STH 82-Lincoln St intersection |
|---|---|
| County: | Juneau |
| City: | |
| Township/Village: | Plymouth |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | 15 |
| Range: | 2 |
| Direction: | E |
| Section: | 33 |
| Quarter Section: | |
| Quarter/Quarter Section: |
| Year Built: | 1873 |
|---|---|
| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 20202023 |
| Historic Use: | steel beam or plate girder bridge |
| Architectural Style: | NA (unknown or not a building) |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Metal |
| Architect: | Chicago & North Western RR |
| Other Buildings On Site: | N |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date: | |
| State Register Listing Date: |
| Additional Information: | Riveted steel deck girder bridge with stone abutments and modern wood railing. An inventory sheet from the Chicago & North Western Railway Historical Society archives gives a date of 1899 for the 75-foot deck girder. 2023: The Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge, built in 1899, is a riveted steel, deck plate girder bridge with stone abutments and features a modern wood railing. It measures 100’ in length and has a 75’ span. When it was used for rail, it was two-tracks wide and had two trail lanes. It is approached by a single span of trestle on either side. The Chicago and North Western Railway Bridge was built in 1899 by Lassig Bridge & Iron Works of Chicago it was named for the Chicago-North Western passenger train that ran on its grade travelling 400 miles between Chicago and Minneapolis/St. Paul in 400 minutes. The Chicago and North Western railway, building rail line from Madison to Winona, was the first to reach Elroy in 1872. Two roundhouses for two different rail companies were built in Elroy employing many within the community. The turn of the century saw the busiest of times for the railroad in Elroy. Currently the bridge is part of the Wisconsin 400 State Trail. |
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| Bibliographic References: | 2023: Bessert, Christopher J. “Highway 80.” Wisconsin Highways. October 21, 2016. https://www.wisconsinhighways.org/listings/WiscHwys80-89.html Bessert, Christopher J. “Highway 82.” Wisconsin Highways. October 21, 2016. https://www.wisconsinhighways.org/listings/WiscHwys80-89.html Chicago and North Western Railway Company. A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways. Chicago: Chicago and North Western Railway Company, 1908. Gruber, John. “Elroy Recalls: City Celebrates Centennial Dedicates Railroad Station.” Railway Gazette 18, no. 7-8 (July-August 1985). Lewis Publishing Company. Biographical History of La Crosse, Monroe and Juneau Counties, Wisconsin. Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1892. New Past Press, Inc. Juneau County, The First Hundred Years. Friendship, WI: New Past Press, Inc., 1988. United State Census Bureau. “Compendium of the Tenth Census.” https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1880/1880-compendium/1880b_p1-04.pdf. United States Census Bureau. “Estimates of Population for the Several States and the District of Columbia for Counties and For Cities of Over 30,000.” https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/population-estimate-1917/13346688ch1.pdf. Wyatt, Barbara and State Historical Society of Wisconsin. Cultural Resource Management in Wisconsin: A Manual for Historic Properties. State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1986. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |