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1898. Winona, Minnesota. "Bridges over the Mississippi. Sternwheeler Lafayette Lamb." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
Nice to see some love for our beautiful town. The section of the railroad bridge is indeed still there, and as mentioned, plans are underway for a new interstate bridge.
I'm continually fascinated with the amazing old photos of this town, and how much it's changed. Many beautiful old buildings are no longer here, replaced by parking lots or newer structures that lack the character and feel that the old ones have. Guess that's not too uncommon, but a shame nonetheless.
Before the next new bridge (now) courtesy the USPS.
I delivered many a railroad car from the Wisconsin side working as a brakeman for the BNSF in the 1970,s. The railroad swing bridge was destroyed by fire in the 1980's. The traffic bridge that replaced this one is in the process of being rebuilt with another one added. Great picture from a simpler time.
The namesake of the steamboat had inherited a saw mill company, C. Lamb & Sons of Clinton, Iowa, from his father Chancy. In the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, young Lafayette oversaw a fleet of the company's steamboats that was used for towing logging rafts down the Mississippi River to the mill. By the time of this photo, that part of the company's business had declined along with the supply of white pine timber floating down the River. By the time of Lafayette's death in 1917, the company's primary interest was a large saw mill in Charleston, Mississippi.
For thousands of years bridges have been a combination of art and engineering. Many times, the character of a city was defined by its bridges.
It's only been in the last 50-60 years that bridges have become dull, boring affairs.
It looks like there's a lady taking the air on the boiler deck aft. Maybe she's on her way to visit her cousin in Red Wing or Frontenac. The steamboat seems to be home-ported at LaCrosse, which the locals on that part of the river call God's Country.
sitting on what must be the world's largest park bench.
Caution: Rowboats are much larger than they appear. So large, that bridges swing out of the way for them.
I like the pre-ice breakers for the railroad bridge pillars. Never seen anything like that before.
Also, the railroad drawbridge looks structurally similar to the one still in use in Vancouver Washington on the BNSF, although this one is single main line.
Nice touch, the elk rack atop the Pilothouse.
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