Drawbridge: Saginaw River Drawbridge, Saginaw, MI - (MC) (H&E)

The Michigan Central drawbridge is a swing bridge over the Saginaw River in downtown Saginaw. The bridge continues to be used as a railroad bridge however it is fixed in place as large shipping vessels no longer go this far south. This bridge is currently used by the Huron & Eastern railway.



Notes 


Time Line

1878. May. Workers put the iron swing span on the Detroit, Saginaw and Canada railroad bridge over the Saginaw river. It was swung for the first time on June 2nd. [PHTH-1875-0511] It was noted that in addition to the iron swing section, and approaches to the bridge were of timber.

1878. This bridge was purchased by James Joy on the Detroit & Bay City railroad to be used on the extension of the D&BC branch to Saginaw from Vassar. The cost of the purchase was $20,000 about the same cost as the original construction three years before. It was noted that the bridge was never used prior to Joy's purchase and was part of Captain Cram's DS&C scheme to connect Saginaw, St. Louis and the GR&I railroad. The DS&C was in receivership for much of its existence. [BHHP-1878-1101]

1878. This bridge was brought by the D&BC from the DS&C. It had a iron truss swing span of 350', and 445' of wood trestles. [MCR-1978]

 

Bibliography

The following sources are utilized in this website. [SOURCE-YEAR-MMDD-PG]:

  • [AAB| = All Aboard!, by Willis Dunbar, Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids ©1969.
  • [AAN] = Alpena Argus newspaper.
  • [AARQJ] = American Association of Railroads Quiz Jr. pamphlet. © 1956
  • [AATHA] = Ann Arbor Railroad Technical and Historical Association newsletter "The Double A"
  • [AB] = Information provided at Michigan History Conference from Andrew Bailey, Port Huron, MI

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