Location: Portage Canal Bridge 1906 #2

This swing bridge was built following the boat accident which destroyed the 1896 bridge. This postcard view is from 1912.  Vehicle traffic on top, trains on the bottom level.

Photo info:  Top, 1912 postcard view of the bridge. 2nd photo, a view of the bridge from the Hancock side. Two automobiles are crossing the bridge along with a horse drawn carriage.

Bridge in Operation: 54 Years

Notes

Time Line

1905. May 27. New bridge planned. The Houghton County supervisors, at a meeting held Wednesday, accepted the plans for the new draw over Portage Lake, and authorized the South Shore and Copper Range railroad companies to advertise for bids for the erection of the structure. The draw will be considerably larger than the old one, will be entirely of steel, and will require fully six months to erect. [LAS-1905-0527]

1906. April 8. The new Portage Canal bridge was opened. [SOO-2022-Q1]

1911. February. The bridge is being closed for needed repairs. The Houghton County Traction company will have charge of the repairs to the floor of the bridge. The Copper Range railroad will do the work of raising the south pier of the draw at the north end of the Houghton side of the permanent structure, which has sunk a few inches. The County will paint the wooden parts of the bridge covered by the iron structure. Community leaders call attention to the ice bridge across Portage Lake at the foot of Huron street which was opened this week for traffic. The ice is sufficiently strong to hold any weight and all team traffic will have to be made across this bridge until the county bridge is repaired. [CN-1911-0202]

1959. A new lift bridge replaces this bridge over the Portage Canal.

Video

• Keweenaw Crossing, Michigan's Elevator Bridge - A history of the highway/railroad crossing of the Portage Canal (1950's)