First Street Bridge (Merrill, Wisconsin) Explained

First Street Bridge
Location:1st St. spanning the Prairie River, Merrill, Wisconsin
Coordinates:45.1789°N -89.7033°W
Builder:Hesterman, Fred
Architecture:stone-arch
Added:September 12, 1996
Area:less than one acre
Refnum:96001017

The First Street Bridge is a stone arch bridge in Merrill, Wisconsin, which carries First Street across the Prairie River. The bridge is long and has three arches. Each arch is bordered by an alternating pattern of single and double stones and is capped by 30inches keystones.[1] Contractor Fred Hesterman built the bridge in 1904, replacing an existing bridge. The bridge is the only known three stone arch bridge in Wisconsin.[2]

The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 12, 1996.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Three Stone Arch Bridge. Wisconsin Department of Tourism. August 30, 2013.
  2. Web site: First Street Bridge. Architecture and History Inventory. Wisconsin Historical Society. August 30, 2013.