The Silverdale bridge is an 1870s iron through truss that spent most of its life in southeastern Koochiching County.  The bridge has had many homes in its life.  The bridge was originally constructed in Sauk Centre in the 1870s, but was moved in the 1930s to span the Little Fork River near Silverdale, MN.  In the fall of 2009, the bridge was disassembled and transported to Maplewood, MN and stored until it could be reassembled in the summer of 2010.

It is one of 24 historic bridges identified by Mn/DOT for preservation. The bridge was completely dismantled and scanned using laser scanning survey equipment to measure each member’s geometric properties. The bridge was then be transported, rehabilitated, and reassembled near Stillwater, MN. It will carry the Gateway Trail (A DNR equestrian trail) over Manning Avenue. The project requires coordination with the Department of Natural Resources.

Below is a short video showing the laser scan of the existing site conditions.

Below is a short video showing the reconditioned bridge being lifted onto new abutments on the Gateway Trail over Manning Ave. in Stillwater, MN.

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