This bridge is part of a rail line that once ran between Little Falls and Brainerd. The section north of Camp Ripley has been abandoned and removed. As a result, this line now only serves the military base at Camp Ripley. That base is a major National Guard training base. Troops will often assemble at Camp Ripley, load their vehicles and armour onto trains, and then ship out as a unit via rail.

A bridge built in the 1870s once existed at this location. It was removed and replaced by the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1891. The new bridge featured two Pratt Through Truss spans. On May 10, 1974, the load on a rail car shifted, causing the train to hit and damage the sides of the east span. The span failed, and a number of railroad cars ended up in the Mississippi River. The failed railroad span was beyond repair, so the Burlington Northern brought in a 1900 era span that once crossed the Columbia River in Washington. That span, a Warren through truss span, was installed. The result is that the bridge has two different style and sized truss spans. It looks unusual, but it serves its purpose.