The Stone Arch Bridge is a Minnesota landmark, perhaps the oldest surviving structure in the beautiful Minneapolis-St. Paul cityscape. Other architectural feats will dwarf it, perhaps literally overshadow it, but few will rival its historical presence. But to tell the story of the Stone Arch Bridge isn’t simply to tell the tale of its building, its disaster, its first use. Rather, to tell the story of the Minneapolis Stone Arch Bridge is to tell the story of its creator, James J. Hill, and its significance as a gateway to the west. Much has been written about Mr. Hill, often called the “Empire Builder of the Northwest” - and yet little is mentioned with regard to his creation of the Stone Arch Bridge (it receiving but a half page in Mr. Joseph G. Pyle’s pioneer biography), despite it being the only one of his works to which he put his own name (in the form of a plaque hanging on the archway).
There are countless biographies of this "Empire Builder” James J. Hill available (or at the very least, five on Amazon.com, at time of writing) but few throw more than a passing detail to his principle “hometown” project - the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis. Some ignore the project altogether. The reasons, to my ears, aren’t entirely clear - certainly Hill had larger projects throughout his career, but the Stone Arch Bridge remains to many the most significant and distinct mark of his success in Minnesota. The railroad bridge has lasted well over a century in the heart of Minneapolis, and may well last a century more.
There are countless biographies of this "Empire Builder” James J. Hill available (or at the very least, five on Amazon.com, at time of writing) but few throw more than a passing detail to his principle “hometown” project - the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis. Some ignore the project altogether. The reasons, to my ears, aren’t entirely clear - certainly Hill had larger projects throughout his career, but the Stone Arch Bridge remains to many the most significant and distinct mark of his success in Minnesota. The railroad bridge has lasted well over a century in the heart of Minneapolis, and may well last a century more.
