Anoka-Champlin Mississippi River Bridge
U.S. 52, Anoka, MNThe Anoka-Champlin Mississippi River Bridge, built by the Minneapolis Bridge Company in 1929, is significant for both historical and engineering reasons. Historically is represents a major river crossing, joining together two communities with long-standing commercial and economic links. Technologically it is a fine representative of the open spandrel concrete arch bridge type which reached a high state of development in the Twin Cities and surrounding area in the late 1920s.
Two prominent bridge authorities, Carl Condit and David Plowden, have recognized the significance of the Twin Cities' concrete arch bridges. As Plowden points out, "the first really sophisticated American program of concrete highway bridge construction evolved around Minnesota's Twin Cities." This happened, says Condit, because here "the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers offered the engineers numerous opportunities to try their ingenuity."
In its current excellent condition, maintaining full integrity, the AnokaChamplin Mississippi River Bridge exhibits the twin qualities of the Minnesota concrete arch open spandrel bridge: graceful and pleasing aesthetics coupled with an economy of design and construction.
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.