Drawbridge: Saginaw River Drawbridge, Saginaw, MI - (MC) (H&E)

The Michigan Central drawbridge is a swing bridge over the Saginaw River in downtown Saginaw. The bridge continues to be used as a railroad bridge however it is fixed in place as large shipping vessels no longer go this far south. This bridge is currently used by the Huron & Eastern railway.

Notes 

Time Line

1874. The contract for constructing the new railroad bridge of the Chicago, Saginaw & Canada Railroad Company across the Saginaw River at this point has been taken by the Canton Wrought Iron Bridge Company. The work is to be completed April 1, 1875. The contract price is $42,000. It is to be all of iron. The draw is to be two hundred feet wide, located on the east side of the river over the old or main channel. The log span to the west of the draw is to be 160 feet wide in the clear; the approach will be of piling upon either side until the hard bank is reached. The work of driving piles has already commenced. [DFP-1874-1124]

1875. Four car loads of iron for the new bridge of the CS&C railroad, which crosses the river at East Saginaw, has arrived. The bridge is ready to receive it and the work of setting it up will commence at once. Capt. Craw has returned from the east, having contracted with the Cleveland Rolling Mill Co. for forty miles of iron for the road. Forty miles, between St. Louis and Lakeview has been graded. [DFP-1875-0424]

1878. May. Workers put the iron swing span on the Detroit, Saginaw and Canada railroad bridge over the Saginaw river. It was swung for the first time on June 2nd. [PHTH-1875-0511] It was noted that in addition to the iron swing section, and approaches to the bridge were of timber.

1878. This bridge was purchased by James Joy on the Detroit & Bay City railroad to be used on the extension of the D&BC branch to Saginaw from Vassar. The cost of the purchase was $20,000 about the same cost as the original construction three years before. It was noted that the bridge was never used prior to Joy's purchase and was part of Captain Craw's DS&C scheme to connect Saginaw, St. Louis and the GR&I railroad. The DS&C was in receivership for much of its existence. [BHHP-1878-1101]

1878. This bridge was brought by the D&BC from the DS&C. It had a iron truss swing span of 350', and 445' of wood trestles. [MCR-1978]