In 1879 St. Paul railroad magnate James J. Hill opened his Manitoba line to the Canadian border, linking the wheat fields of the Red River Valley with the flour mills of Minneapolis. To improve railroad access at the falls he built this 2,100-foot bridge, which stands as a monument to the railroad era and Hill's vision. Completed in 1883 with a sweeping curve at its west end, the bridge is a unique example of skilled masonry construction. In 1974 it was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
