Achievement – #1LinerWed

You can barely see detect the curve in the stone structure. Amazing craftsmanship considering it opened in 1833.

“We got up before 7:00 am and we walked across the Mississippi River!”

That’s true. Of course I should say that both statements are true. We did get up before 7:00 am, and we did walk across the Mississippi River…around 9:00 am. I think it looks better the first way, and you know I’m not one to drag out a statement.

On the other hand – yes, I know I am one to drag out a statement, but I’m not going to today – on the other hand, I did take a lot of pictures as we walked, and I wanted to share them.

The photos in the gallery are from a walk across the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis. You can read all about the bridge at (ahem) Wikipedia, but here’s a teaser:

“The Stone Arch Bridge is a former railroad bridge crossing the Mississippi River at Saint Anthony Falls in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the only arched bridge made of stone on the entire length of the Mississippi River. The bridge was completed in 1883.”

This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s fun weekly series One-Liner Wednesday. If you have a one-liner, I’d encourage you to join in on the fun. You can follow this link to participate and to see the one-liners from the other participants.

There was a set of stairs leading down to the riverbank, but they were roped off.

That’s the I-35 highway bridge and a lot of debris in the river.

Without intervention, St. Anthony’s Falls would have worn itself into a set of rapids.

Looking onto the east side of the river.

The lock is closed to navigation because the river is above flood stage farther south. No need to bunch up ships on the river.

I love these stairs. I’m pretty sure they make the Editor a little queasy, but I’d climb them.

St. Anthony’s Falls from the center of the Stone Arch Bridge.

St. Anthony’s Falls from the center of the Stone Arch Bridge. The lock structure is on the left.

This mill structure is on the east side and illustrates the way water power used to rein supreme in this region.

Not bothered by the falls, rapids or the people nearby.

Looking south along the Mississippi.

One of the historic markers on the bridge.

The west side mills.

Part of the Mill Ruins park. these old mills were unearthed after having been covered over.

The site of a flour explosion. The remnants are now stabilized and the building houses a museum and conference center.

Excavated ruins in the park.

That’s the I-35 bridge from the parking lot of Mill Ruins Park.

Another of the historic markers.

I took this for the Editor. It’s a space I doubt she would willingly enter.