Historic Roadsides: Old Cross River Bridge
Old Cross River Bridge
Located: On MN 61 in Lake County at Schroeder.
Constructed: 1931, incorporated into the current bridge in 1998/99.
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The Cross River bridge as it originally appeared (postcard from my personal
collection).
The Cross River bridge was one of several concrete arches constructed by the Department of Highways in the early 1930's along Highway 61 between Schroeder and Grand Marais.
When the highway through Schroeder was rebuilt in 1998/99, a new wider bridge was included as part of the project. However, the arch of the old bridge was preserved below structure of the new bridge to preserve the historic feel of the crossing. The bridge is surrounded today by several modern parking areas and a restroom building, as well as a small overlook. These roadside features replaced an earlier, smaller parking lot and several sets of stone steps leading directly from the shoulder of the highway to walkways along either side of the bridge.
Photos - taken in April, 2010.
Northbound view of Highway 61 at the Cross River. The stairs on the far right lead to the overlook.
The concrete arch of the original bridge, now surrounded by the structure constructed in 1998/99, as seen from the overlook.
Looking downstream from the overlook.
Falls of the Cross River on the north side of the bridge.
