My Town Monday - One of the Most Beautiful Bridges Edition

A couple of the blogs I've been reading recently (One Word, One Run, One Day and Barrie Summy) participate in something called My Town Monday. Every Monday they share fun facts, pics, and stories about local places. I love their posts so much that I've decided to start participating. Maybe not every Monday, but on a semi-frequent basis at least. I've lived so many places and loved so many unique things about each one that I want the opportunity to share them with all of you.




This week I've decided to blog about the St. Paul Stone Arch Bridge, one of my favorite places to go in the Twin Cities. The beautiful bridge featuring 21 stone arch spans was originally built in 1883 by James J. Hill as a rail road bridge. It spans a total of 2100 feet across the Mississippi river and is a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.






In 1978, the railroad stopped using the bridge and it was eventually renovated to create a scenic pedestrian path. Several festivals are held on the bridge each year and it's a great place to watch the fireworks during 4th of July celebrations because they are launched from an island in the middle of the river.


The bridge is a great place to see the city and other Mississippi bridges down and up river. St. Anthony's falls can also be seen clearly from the bridge and it contributes to the charm of the location. All in all, the bridge is a beautiful St. Paul retreat located in the middle of the bustling city.



Note: As much as I wish I had taken these photos, I didn't. They are on my blog compliments of wikipedia images :)