END OF (RAIL)ROAD FOR N. JEFFERSON ST. SWING BRIDGE

 

The Railroad Tracks to Historic Bridge Are Now Gone on Both Sides

Last Train Traversed Bridge Years Ago

[In the scene above, tracks have been removed leading to the bridge at S. Water and E. Florida streets.

photo by Michael Horne]

Special to the Readers of Milwaukeeworld

By Michael Horne


And The Milwaukee World Hound Dog Team

 The end of the road has come for Swing Bridge #1556, the 800-ton, 243-foot long pivot bridge at the entrance to the Milwaukee harbor that was a national engineering marvel when it was constructed in 1915. When first put into service the bridge carried 100 trains per day. It was the main line of the Chicago and Nortwestern Railroad and was the nearest bridge to its lakefront terminal at the foot of E. Wisconsin Avenue, [demolished 1968] and is believed to be the largest of its kind in Wisconsin. It is by far the most visible and impressive of the four remaining railroad swing bridges in the city, most of which have long since been replaced by upward-acting bascule bridges.

But, if you're in a locomotive, you cahn't get theah from heah no moah. That's because the tracks leading to the bridge from the south were removed last week, considerably easing the ride for vehicles on S. Water St. 

The bridge is situated in the middle of the Milwaukee River, allowing the structure to pivot like a turntable. It is owned by the Union Pacific Railroad and is believed to be the third structure on its site, supplanting an 1870's single-track swing bridge and an 1890 double-track swing bridge.
Construction of the 1915 bridge was considered a marvel at the time, and is still impressive today. First, on October 25, 1914, the 1890 bridge was lifted off its base by pontoon boats and transported downstream 60 feet where temporary tracks had been laid. Train service was disrupted for only five hours.

According to the Final Historic Designation Study Report prepared by Paul Jakubovich of the City of Milwaukee in 2005, "the old bridge not only continued to serve train traffic, it also acted as a turntable that was used to deliver materials from the shoreline to the middle of the river where the new foundation and bridge were being constructed."
The new bridge was floated into position and the new one floated away for dismantling in the time frame of only six hours on March 14th, 1915.

The bridge remains "fully functional" in an existential sort of way, since there are no longer any tracks connecting it to the terrestrial world.
It was designated a Historic Structure on July 15th, 2005 as Common Council File 050249, sponsored by Ald. Robert Bauman.

KAFEVINO OPENS TODAY

At long last, Kafevino, 330 E. Menomonee St. has opened in the Historic Third Ward. It is the continuation of Sheridan's Finest Wines and Generous Spirits, a wine shop that was formerly in the Milwaukee Public Market. For awhile, the place was going to be named Javavino, if that rings any bells. The first day of operation for the cafe is today, Monday, August 24th, 2009.
--Michael Horne