Share what you know,
and discover more.
Share what you know,
and discover more.
Jun 22, 2022
77 Wabasha St S, Saint Paul, MN, USA
Wabasha Street Bridge By Larry Millet The first bridge here opened in 1859; at that time, only two other bridges- the Hennepin Avenue Suspension Bridge (1855) in Minneapolis and a railroad bridge (1856) at Rock Island, IL- spanned the Mississippi. The original bridge was replaced by a steel span that stood until 1995, when it was knocked down to make way for a modern replacement. New York artist James Carpenter was selected to design the new bridge and produced a spectacular proposal for a cable-stay structure with a V-shaped central mast. His design touched off a heated debate. One critic likened it to “Madonna’s bra”; others rightly praised it as a dazzling work. In the end, cost concerns doomed the design, and the city settled for a concrete girder span with split roadways (best seen from below). The bridge’s many amenities include overlooks set behind weird, obtrusive metal cages, custom-designed railings and lights, pylons with flags, and an elaborate staircase that leads down to Raspberry Island. Cite this Page Larry Millet, “Wabasha Street Bridge,” Saint Paul Historical, accessed June 22, 2022, https://saintpaulhistorical.com/items/show/401.
77 Wabasha St S, Saint Paul, MN, USA
Wabasha Street Bridge By Larry Millet The first bridge here opened in 1859; at that time, only two other bridges- the Hennepin Avenue Suspension Bridge (1855) in Minneapolis and a railroad bridge (1856) at Rock Island, IL- spanned the Mississippi. The original bridge was replaced by a steel span that stood until 1995, when it was knocked down to make way for a modern replacement. New York artist James Carpenter was selected to design the new bridge and produced a spectacular proposal for a cable-stay structure with a V-shaped central mast. His design touched off a heated debate. One critic likened it to “Madonna’s bra”; others rightly praised it as a dazzling work. In the end, cost concerns doomed the design, and the city settled for a concrete girder span with split roadways (best seen from below). The bridge’s many amenities include overlooks set behind weird, obtrusive metal cages, custom-designed railings and lights, pylons with flags, and an elaborate staircase that leads down to Raspberry Island. Cite this Page Larry Millet, “Wabasha Street Bridge,” Saint Paul Historical, accessed June 22, 2022, https://saintpaulhistorical.com/items/show/401.
Jun 22, 2022
Posted Date
Jun 22, 2022
Historical Record Date
Jun 22, 2022
Source Name
Saint Paul Historical
