The bridge itself was built by the Wisconsin Central Railroad. The WC built a rail line from Milwaukee to Ashland, running more or less north and south. As Minneapolis continued to grow into a regional metropolis, the WC desired to tap into that market. A rail line was extended from the existing WC line in Marshfield to Chippewa Falls, and then into the Twin Cities. This line was completed and opened in 1884.
The Saint Croix river was still a problem. A small bridge was built across the river at the bottom of the valley. Trains had to face very steep grades on each side of the valley. This resulted in shorter trains and the use of helper engines. The problem was addressed in the early 1900's, when famous bridge engineer C.A.P. Turner was brought in. He designed and supervised the building of the big metal monster that survives to this day.
The Wisconsin Central turned over its operations to the St. Paul and Sault Ste Marie in 1909. The WC went bankrupt in 1932, and the Sault Ste Marie continued to run the WC lines for the bankruptcy trustees. Finally, in 1960, three railroads operating in Wisconsin merged to form the Soo Line Railroad. The Soo continued to run trains over the high bridge. The Soo Line took over its rival Milwaukee Road, which also ran trains from Milwaukee to the Twin Cities, and then the Soo Line itself was bought up by the Canadian Pacific in 2001. As a result, the CN now operates trains over the Arcola High Bridge.
The Arcola High Bridge was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1977. Experts have called this bridge the most spectacular multi-span steel arch bridge in the world. Others compare the magnificent steel work to that of Eiffel's creations in France. Despite the history and national listing, this amazing bridge is all but unknown in the Twin Cities area, and it virtually impossible to get a glimpse of the structure without trespassing or taking to the water.
The upper photo shows the main river channel looking north. The first three photos below are taken from the Wisconsin side of the bridge. Due to a steep cliff, there is no access to the river level from the east side. You can access the east side by taking WI-64 to Somerset, and exiting at the County VV ramp. Follow the railroad line going west, and you will find a spot to park and walk to the end of the bridge.
The remaining photos are taken from river level. There is a DNR bird watching trail that runs from Arcola Trail down to the river. The path is about 4/5 of a mile, and drops 220 feet, so be prepared for a healthy climb back out of the river valley. The last photo was taken from a boat by Michael Waterman. It gives a view of just how long this bridge really is. It is too bad that this spectacular structure is so well hidden.
Update—on a sad note, a 20 year old woman was attempting to cross the Arcola High Bridge around 1:00 AM on August 10, 2008, when a plank on the walkway gave out, and she fell 200 feet to the ground. The 20 year old male that she was with did not fall. Responders pronounced the woman dead at the scene.
