A Piece of History Still Standing – The White River Railroad Bridge!
The Great Railroad Trestle is the bridge that sits over the White River just south of White Cloud. It was built on September 29, 1875, completely made of wood! Its correct name is the White River Railroad Bridge. It was originally a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chicago and West Michigan Railroad which was incorporated in November of 1879.
The Chicago and West Michigan Railroad (C&WM) constructed the bridge to allow the trains to ferry goods from Flint and Baldwin to the north. In 1881 the line was extended a further 4 miles to Bitely. The overall connecting rails from White River to Baldwin, a total length of 29.86 miles, were completed on or about February 7, 1884.
In the later 1800s the line and bridge were used by the famous Pere Marquette Railroad also used these tracks and the bridge.
The trestle is also an uncommon example of a “Deck Truss” construction. Michigan has relatively few steep grade river valleys for which this design is best suited. It was “rehabilitated” in 1902. The main span is 100 ft with a structure length at 515 feet, single span. There are only a handful of bridges of this design in Michigan.
Amazingly this trestle – made of wood – is still standing today. It is a prized county tourist attraction!
Up for a Challenge: Visit this legendary trestle, snap a pic, and tag us using #GoExploringNC! Who’s up for a trip back in time?
Huge thanks to the Heritage Museum of Newaygo County for curating this amazing history! Want to uncover more? Visit newaygocountyexploring.com/tourism-tips for even more historic gems!
