This bridge replaced a steel beam bridge built in 1919 and rebuilt in 1937. Highway engineers wanted to build a signature bridge at this location to recognize that this is the first true bridge to cross the mighty Mississippi River. One design that was considered is a laminated wooden arch. While it would have look fantastic, the price was simply too high. As a compromise, a rather ordinary bridge was built, but it was dressed up with the wood cladding on each side of the structure, making it look like an old wooden bridge from the river level point of view.

The MN-200 bridge is located about 2 miles from the source of the Mississippi River. While MN-200 is a rather small state highway, it does stretch 2/3 of the way across the state of Minnesota, and it will cross the Mississippi River a second time. That crossing is between Grand Rapids and Aitkin about 100 miles east of this location.

Notice the solar panel and electronics box in the photo below. That is a river monitor station installed by the State of Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. It monitors oxygen levels and checks for heavy metals such as mercury.