Louis Guinard built this bridge in 1859-1860 as the centerpiece of Platte Bridge Station and Fort Caspar, and it remained in use until Fort Caspar was abandoned in 1867. Its superstructure stood on 28 timber cribbings filled with rock and gravel. Not counting the approaches, the bridge was 810 feet long and 17 feet wide. Construction was estimated to cost $40,000 dollars. Wagons paid tolls from $1.00 to $6.00 to cross, depending on the height of the river, and additional tolls were charged for animals and people. The bridge symbolized changes shaped by the expansion of America during the middle 19th Century.