Photos: Winona Bridges
View historic photos from Walt Bennick's "Crossing the Mississippi River" presentation on the bridges of Winona. All photos are courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society.
Pieces of the Past - River
The present Winona interstate bridge was built in 1941 by the Industrial Contracting Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The steel beams being laid in place were fabricated in Gary Indiana and move by barge to the site via the Illinois River.
Winona Bridges
The Winona railroad swing bridge over the Mississippi River was completed in 1871. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
October 19,1990 -- Workers from the Johnson Brothers Construction Company are removing the Burlington Northern Railroad Swing Bridge over the Mississippi River on the far east end of Winona after its was destroyed by fire. The bridge had been closed and unused since 1985. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
December 19, 1989 -- Arson was blamed in a fire on the Burlington Northern swing bridge. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
The Chicago and North Western railroad swing bridge over the Mississippi River was abandoned in 1977. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
The Burlington Northern railroad swing bridge in far east Winona was closed in 1984 because of heavy repairs. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
The high wagon bridge was dismantled in 1942-43 after the interstate bridge was bult. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
A photo of the new interstate bridge, the railroad swing bridge and the high wagon bridge over the Mississippi River in Winona. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
Progress on the Winona interstate bridge in the 1940s. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
Progress on the Winona interstate bridge in the 1942. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
Workers on the Winona interstate bridge in 1942. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
Progress on the Winona interstate bridge on the Wisconsin side in the 1940s. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
Progress on the Winona interstate bridge in the 1942. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
Progress on the Winona interstate bridge in the 1940s. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
Numerous accidents occurred at the bridge’s right-angled turns such as this one on October 3, 1919,when John Barry, Stanley Olhoff, Percy Rollinger and Dennis Lynch were out for a ride in Barry’s cross-country Overland. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
The concrete Wisconsin bridge approach to the high wagon bridge over the Latsch Island Tourist Park. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
The concrete arched Wisconsin bridge approach to the high wagon bridge. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
The Wisconsin end of the high wagon bridge connected with the old ferry bridge on Latsch Island, which allowed passage to Wisconsin near Bluff Siding. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
The high wagon bridge exited at the foot of Main Street, near West Third Street in Winona. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
The high wagon bridge deck made two right angled turns, approaching Winona at Johnson Street and exiting on Main Street. The bridge deck passed over Levee Park on its way to Main Street. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
The bridge first operated as a toll bridge, with charges from a nickel to a quarter to go a cross the bridge. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
Looking south along the high wagon bridge toward the stand pipe and the levee. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
The old steel high wagon bridge, under construction in 1891 by the Chicago Bridge and Iron Company, was completed in June of 1892 at a cost of $100,000. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
The Chicago and North Western railroad swing bridge at Winona. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
Winona Bridges
The Chicago and North Western Railroad Yards at Winona. The line to the swing bridge is in the foreground. (Photo courtesy of the Winona County Historical Society)
To Winona’s early settlers, the Mississippi was both a broad highway and a formidable barrier.
To Winona’s early settlers, the Mississippi was both a broad highway and a formidable barrier.
