An Important Bridge For Standing Rock

Above: original bridge spanning the Missouri River for the then Northern Pacific railroad (now BNSF). The piers are the same, while the upper superstructure was changed in 1905 to the familiar, gently arcing bows it has to this day. Photos courtesy Library of Congress. These and more photographs can be found at this location https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.nd0023.photos?st=list

A new group, Friends of the Rail Bridge is moving forward with important efforts to save a structure that embodies so much local history. Hopefully, their efforts will bear fruit and the rusty iron structure, redolent of the age of giant riveted iron, with its ancient, historically important piers can become a singular historical and recreational focal point in the region. When driving across any of the bridges between Bismarck-Mandan, the rust colored bridge, with its stone piers stands out as the oldest, yet still most aesthetically pleasing structure crossing the river. What a great spot it would make for biking across the river and stopping to contemplate the entire span of regional and North Dakota history. A recent news story and Facebook page detail the ongoing efforts to save the bridge.

It is difficult to pinpoint a single structure that had an impact as far reaching in our region as the BNSF railroad bridge at Bismarck-Mandan. The connection of the coasts with the interior, created the path and the impetus by which the center of the country would be developed and the Lakota/Dakota people forced from an ancient way of life and onto reservations. One could loosely argue that Standing Rock exists because of the Bismarck bridge. What better place to foster a conversation about what that meant then and what it means today.

For more information, the State Historical Society of North Dakota has posted an informative journal article the details the history of this important and threatened structure.