Mendota Road Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mendota Road Bridge |
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The Mendota Road Bridge as viewed from the Mississippi River side.
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| Carries | Two lanes of Water Street |
| Crosses | The outlet of Pickerel Lake |
| Locale | St. Paul, Minnesota |
| ID number | 90401 |
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Mendota Road Bridge
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | Water St. over Pickerel Lake Outlet, St. Paul, Minnesota |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1894 |
| Architect | City of St. Paul Engineer's Office |
| Architectural style | Stone-arch bridge |
| MPS | Minnesota Masonry-Arch Highway Bridges MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 89001825 |
| Added to NRHP | November 06, 1989 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Arch bridge |
| Width | 24 feet (7.3 m) |
| Longest span | 10 feet (3.0 m) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1894 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 500 |
The Mendota Road Bridge is a special stone bridge in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. It is an arch bridge, which means it has a curved shape like a rainbow. This bridge crosses over the spot where Pickerel Lake flows into the mighty Mississippi River.
The city of St. Paul built this bridge way back in 1894. The engineers from the city designed it themselves. It carries two lanes of Water Street, helping people get around St. Paul.
Contents
Why Is This Bridge Important?
The Mendota Road Bridge is important because it is a great example of a small stone arch bridge from the 1800s. It shows us how bridges were built a long time ago.
What Is the Bridge Made Of?
The bridge is made from a type of rock called gray limestone. This stone was found and taken from nearby areas. This means the builders used materials that were easy to get.
Special Features of the Bridge
The Mendota Road Bridge has some cool details that make it unique. It has keystones that stick out at the top of its arch. A keystone is the wedge-shaped stone at the very top of an arch that holds it all together.
The top of the arch also has a slight peak, which adds to its look. There's also a special line of stone, called a string course, that matches the level of the road. These details make the Mendota Road Bridge stand out from other stone arch bridges built around the same time.
A Bridge That Hasn't Changed Much
One of the most interesting things about this bridge is that it has stayed almost the same since it was built. Most old bridges get changed a lot over time. The Mendota Road Bridge has only had one small change: a concrete cap replaced the original top part of the railings.
Because it has kept its original look and feel, the Mendota Road Bridge is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important places in the United States that are worth protecting. Its special number on the list is 89001825.
