Ever wondered about the first bridge to span the mighty Mississippi? Here at the site of the Narrows Bridge, we’re about to travel back in time. It’s a story of innovation, celebration, and a little bit of chaos.
Picture Minneapolis in the 1850s. The Mississippi River was a vital waterway. But crossing it above St. Anthony Falls was a challenge. In winter, ice offered a path. Spring and summer brought high, dangerous waters. Before the Narrows Bridge, Franklin Steele and John Stevens ran a rope ferry. It helped but couldn’t keep up with the growing traffic. A small bridge to Nicollet Island aided ferry access. Yet, a true river-spanning bridge was needed.
In 1852, Steele and others got permission to build that bridge. They formed the Mississippi Bridge Company. Thomas W. Griffith was hired as the engineer. Construction began in 1854. The Narrows Bridge would be a suspension bridge. It cost $36,000.
January 23, 1855, was a day of great fanfare. A parade marched from the St. Charles Hotel in St. Anthony. Sleighs carried people. Banners waved. A band played. Cannons boomed a welcome as the parade reached the Suspension Bridge on Nicollet Island. The procession continued through Minneapolis before returning to St. Anthony. Then a celebratory dinner.
The Narrows Bridge brought progress. It also brought tolls. Pedestrians paid three cents. A horse and carriage cost twenty-five cents. Even pigs and sheep had a toll of two cents each. Everyone had to walk. No speedy crossings allowed.
Disaster struck quickly. On March 25, 1855, a tornado nearly wrecked the Narrows Bridge. It was rebuilt and reopened on July 4. Still, safety concerns lingered. The bridge struggled to handle the growing population. Minneapolis and St. Anthony were booming.
By 1869, the Mississippi Bridge Company’s charter ended. Hennepin County bought the Narrows Bridge for $37,500. Tolls continued until 1872. That year, St. Anthony merged with Minneapolis. The bridge became city property. Calls for a new, sturdier bridge grew louder.
A second suspension bridge was built just north of the first Narrows Bridge. Thomas Griffith was again the engineer. It opened on February 22, 1877. The original Narrows Bridge was no longer needed. It was torn down. Although short-lived, the Father Louis Hennepin Bridge made history. It was the first to conquer the Mississippi. It paved the way for Minneapolis to become the city it is today.